Remember - Episode Five: Gohar Eshghi; The Mother of Justice in Iran

In the fifth episode of the multimedia series "Remember," I take your hand to visit the home of a mother among the grieving and justice-seeking mothers of Iran; a small and frail woman but brave, with a steadfast demeanor, a fearless head, and an unquenchable spirit for justice. In her old age, as she herself says, after eighty years, in protest against the government's oppression of women and at the height of the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests, she removed her hijab and said: "This is a religion that wants to kill people." Her son was arrested by the Cyber Police of the Islamic Republic in November 2012; he was a worker who also wrote a blog, discussing oppression, discrimination, corruption, and deprivation; he spoke out against the ruling dictatorship. He was tortured so severely that most of his organs suffered internal bleeding. He was killed during the interrogations and was buried in Robat Karim with a bloody shroud. His name was Sattar Beheshti, and his mother was a woman of great resilience. Gohar Eshghi, the mother of justice in Iran. Sitting on a white mat in her home, her silver hair shines, and in the hollows of her eyes is a fire that has not been extinguished in the past eleven years. She does not speak; she flames, sharp, bold, and entirely fiery. Her grandchildren, Bahamin and Beniamin, play and frolic in the corner. Beniamin says, "I am a frog," and we all laugh. Her only daughter, Sahar, a nurse and her caregiver, sits beside her, sometimes joining the conversation and sometimes breaking into song, singing, "The delightful spring has arrived, and the heart is not in its place." I ask her if Sattar also sang? Is there a voice left from him? She says, "Yes, we had, but unfortunately, they took our phone, and on the fortieth day, he had sung..." and she breaks into song again; this time quoting her brother... She cannot continue. She says, "Forget it..." and mentions that until today, she has sung for no one but "brother." What follows is an exclusive interview of "Remember" with Gohar Eshghi; the mother of justice in Iran. In the midst of the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests, you prepared macaroni for the protesting youth in the streets, and I remember a video was released showing you had prepared a large amount of macaroni and packaged it for distribution among the protesters. You said you made the macaroni in memory of Sattar. Gohar Eshghi: Mr. Sattar was very fond of macaroni. I made that macaroni for Sattar and thousands of other Sattars. When you took the macaroni and distributed it among the protesting youth in the streets, how did you feel? Gohar Eshghi: I felt very strange. I had previously been in demonstrations alongside my children. The kids felt very good that I brought that macaroni. They were very happy, and I was happy alongside them. I have gone with them [to protest] several times. Now, Gohar, teach us how to make macaroni in the style of Gohar Eshghi for Sattar Beheshti? What is the recipe? What ingredients do you use? Gohar Eshghi: First, I fry one or two kilograms of onions. Then I fry the ground meat with it and add tomato paste and pour in water. I boil and drain the macaroni. Now I mix the ground meat and these and let it steam. When it is steamed, I package them. For the bottom layer, I put lavash bread or potatoes at the bottom of the pot. Thank you very much. Besides macaroni, what other foods did Sattar like? Gohar Eshghi: Mr. Sattar liked many other foods, but I was sick, and he cooked himself. Mr. Sattar was my nurse. Now Sahar takes care of me. He did many things, and his cooking was very delicious. Was his cooking good? Is there something you remember and want to tell us? Gohar Eshghi: He made soup very deliciously. He also made canned beans. All the foods he cooked were very delicious and good. Whenever I was out and came back, the smell of his food filled our dead-end street. I would say I want to see what food he made; it was so delicious and tasty. I would ask, "Mom, what did you cook?" The smell would come to the door. When he served it, it was very tasty. Where did he learn to cook? From you? Gohar Eshghi: He learned from me. When they were kids; in fourth or fifth grade, I would cook, and they would stand beside me. They were very aware and very interested in politics. Now, Sattar really liked your macaroni. Was there a dish that he would cook and that you loved? A dish that you think no one else could make like him? Gohar Eshghi: Potato kuku. He made potato kuku like a cake; as if it was a cake. Sahar Beheshti: He made it beautifully. He mashed the potatoes well, and believe me, I don’t know how he did it, but he would pour it into the pan, and it would puff up; it was like a cake. I loved his potato kuku so much. I would say, "Mr. Sattar, make potato kuku today." I would say, "Your potato kuku is very delicious." I remember you once said that it seemed like at lunch, around noon, agents came to your house and arrested Sattar Beheshti. I always wondered what you had for lunch that day? And since then, what feeling does that food give you? Gohar Eshghi: The day they came to take Mr. Sattar, we had made celery stew. We hadn’t eaten it for three days. Whenever I said to bring the food, he would say no. On Monday, I was feeling very down. I was walking around the house. I felt someone was coming to knock on our door. He said, "Mom, why are you walking so much?" I said, "I feel someone is coming to knock on our door." He said, "Mom, are you scared?" I said no, what should I be scared of, mom? In short, on Tuesday night, I forced him to eat two bananas. On Tuesday, at twelve o’clock [noon], they knocked and came to take Mr. Sattar. They came to the house, tied his hands, and took the laptop. The celery stew was also on our heater. One of the agents turned back and said, "Your mother has prepared your food!" Since that time, we have not liked celery stew. Neither Sahar nor I cook it anymore. You mean you haven’t cooked celery stew since then? Gohar Eshghi: No. I don’t eat potato kuku or any food that Mr. Sattar liked anymore. If I make it, I make it for charity. I don’t make it for myself. What about that macaroni that he loved and you cooked for the protesters in the street? You didn’t eat it yourself? Gohar Eshghi: I didn’t eat it! I now live alone in my house. Sahar comes once a week and stays for twenty-four hours and leaves. Because our house is small, and Sahar has a small child. When I am alone, when I lay the table, for example, I put one spoon and fork and one plate for Mohammad, one for Mr. Sattar, and one for myself. I also put a glass for them. The food I have prepared for myself, I put a little bit on their plates. A plate and spoon and fork for Sattar and a plate and spoon and fork for Mohammad. Gohar's reference is to Mohammad Hosseini, who was only 39 years old and was arrested for participating in the protests of 2022. He was tortured and executed and was buried coldly in Eshtehard. He was a worker and an athlete. He had no parents, but all of Iran became his family, and Gohar Eshghi, the mother of justice, bravely stood up, declaring that from today I have two sons, two martyrs: Sattar and Mohammad. I continued this part of the conversation by asking about Mohammad Hosseini. Gohar, during this time, next to the picture of Sattar Beheshti, you always have a picture of Mohammad Hosseini in your hand. I know that you even went to receive Mohammad Hosseini's body. Tell us what happened there and how you felt so close to him that you said you are also his mother and seeker of justice. Gohar Eshghi: Because I gave my two sons for Iran; Mohammad and Sattar. I went to Karaj to follow his corpse. They did not pay attention to me and did not give me the corpse. I came and gave an interview. When I interviewed, they buried him. I said if they give me [his body], I will bury him in Robat Karim, where we have a three-tier grave, on Sattar's father's grave, so that these three graves are filled. But they didn’t give it to me, and afterwards, I got sick. I stayed in bed. One night he came to my dream and said, "Get up, mother! My body hurts a lot. When your son was martyred, you said, 'O God, give me the patience of Hazrat Zainab.' You have the patience of Hazrat Zainab. Get up and kiss my body. I woke up and saw he was not there. I felt very bad. Until I brought his picture home and cried, I found some peace. Now I live with the pictures of Mohammad and Sattar. Whenever I interview, I put both of them together. I say, 'O God, give me the patience that I do not give in to them and do not bend my back. I have the courage to take revenge for my two sons.' One thinks, you are not afraid? You are inside Iran and clearly speak against the current situation. Where does this courage and bravery come from? Gohar Eshghi: I was afraid that they would take my child in front of my eyes. I was afraid that on the fortieth day, they beat us and pulled our hair. Now I have put a handful of my hair in my shroud to take with me to the other world when I die so that my sons can see. I have no fear. I am not afraid of anything. So many young people have gone. I have given two young men. I have one life to sacrifice for the people of Iran and Iran. You referred to the attack on yourself during Sattar's fortieth ceremony. What happened? You stood bravely against the government agents there, and of course, you were harmed. Gohar Eshghi: There, our ceremony was over, and we had come outside. I told Sahar, "Mom, those two men are looking at us a lot." She said, "Mom, you are suspicious." Suddenly these men attacked us and grabbed us. They pulled my hair. I put my foot under the car. I said if they want to take my daughter, let me go myself. I put my foot under the car, and they drove the car over my foot! But I didn’t say a word. Because my Sattar laughed under torture. I asked Sattar's interrogator what Sattar said under torture? He said Sattar laughed, and I hit him! I got so angry at Sattar's laughter that I finished him under my hand. I said I am not above my son. I went under the car. I said let them take my daughter; I don’t want to see another grief. The car drove over my foot! After a month, my toenail fell off. My big toe swelled. My knees are all wounded. I went home without shoes. They dragged me, and it was not clear where my shoes went... They have tormented us a lot. It continues now, but I endure. I have no fear anymore. Let them come and take me. I was afraid that... they have tormented us, beaten us... every time I go to the Imamzadeh, there are agents. Once I said, "Come on, take this one. I don’t even think this is my child. I sleep with his picture at night. Just come and take me. Come and take me with the soil... but you have been threatened so much. What do they want from you? Do they want you to be silent? To stop seeking justice? As a mother seeking justice, might you one day be silent? Gohar Eshghi: I cannot separate Sattar from myself for a moment; not for a moment. There is not a moment that Sattar is not in it. I cannot forget Sattar at all. I think Sattar was taken just an hour ago. I have been wearing this black dress for eleven years. I cannot separate from Sattar for a moment. I have said many times. I have said that until they create a fair court for me, I will not be silent. They cannot silence me. I am not afraid of anything. This woman who is not afraid, this mother seeking justice, when might she find peace? Gohar Eshghi: When the Islamic Republic is destroyed and Ali Khamenei is no more. Our youth are all in prison, and then they tell us to say death to America; why should we say death to America? These are the children of us who are either imprisoned, executed, or made into materials in the street! But where are the children of the powerful? They enjoy themselves in America. But the people of Iran and the youth are all miserable, unemployed, and addicted! Some are in prison. Gohar, do you have a message for other mothers seeking justice, for the protesting people? Is there something you want to say to the people and the listeners of this program? Gohar Eshghi: I send a message saying that the people of Iran should never trust the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Republic wants to deceive the people with words and rule. You should never trust the words of the Islamic Republic. We do not want the Islamic Republic. It has made all families mournful. I speak for myself that I have been mourning for eleven years. Other mothers are the same. For eleven years, our family has been at the Imamzadeh on the grave of Mr. Sattar during the New Year. There is no celebration in our house. This year, all the mothers were at their children's graves. We have not had a celebration for eleven years. As long as the Islamic Republic exists, there is no celebration. Tomorrow, perhaps other mothers will sit in mourning for their children. Who knows? I send this message again to everyone: do not be afraid. Come to the streets and shout we do not want. Everyone should open their eyes and ears and not be afraid of anything. We only have one life. We will give this life for the people of Iran and Iran. Well, how much do you think... Gohar Eshghi: Fahimeh, my dear! Let me also say that we were war victims. Yes, yes, you were in Khorramshahr during the war, right? Tell us about that time. Gohar Eshghi: When the war started, Khorramshahr was taken. We came out of Khorramshahr, and as we crossed the bridge, they bombed the bridge. Mr. Sattar was small, and I had two other sons who were small. As we crossed the bridge, I thought Mr. Sattar was not there and thought he fell into the river, but then I saw no, he held my clothes and said, "Mom, do not be afraid." I said no, what should I be afraid of? I don’t eat meat. Now I myself don’t eat meat.