Mehdi Abaei

Their life

Mehdi Abaei was a young Iranian civilian from Hamadan who was known among family and friends as an ordinary, non-political individual. He had no reported affiliation with political groups or activism and was engaged in everyday life at the time of his death. On 30 June 2025, he was fatally shot while on a recreational off-road trip near Hamadan, an incident that later became a focal point of public outrage and protest.

Mehdi Abaei lived in Hamadan province and was part of a group of young men who enjoyed off-road driving, a common leisure activity in rural areas surrounding the city. According to family members and local sources, he was not under surveillance, had no criminal record, and had no involvement in political or security-related matters. His killing occurred during a period of heightened repression in Iran following the 2025 Iran–Israel war, when security forces had intensified internal operations under the justification of national security.

How they died

Gunshot wounds inflicted by Iranian security forces.

Mehdi Abaei was shot multiple times when Basij forces opened fire on the vehicle he was traveling in near the Tareek-Darreh area outside Hamadan. Authorities claimed the shooting occurred during a “drone-related security operation” and alleged that the vehicle failed to stop. However, eyewitnesses, survivors, and family members strongly rejected this claim, stating that no warning shots were heard and that no drone equipment or weapons were present. He died as a direct result of live ammunition fired at close range.

A plea from the family

Mehdi Abaei’s family publicly rejected official narratives describing the killing as a legitimate security operation. Relatives stated that he was an unarmed civilian on a leisure trip and demanded accountability, transparency, and the identification of those responsible. During his funeral, family members and mourners openly accused authorities of lying and called for justice, chanting slogans condemning oppression and state violence.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Mehdi Abaei, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources