‘He never became a firefighter’: Abolfazl Jahedi, killed in Iran’s protest crackdown - interview

Abolfazl Jahedi, an 18-year-old from Tehran, Iran, harbored dreams of becoming a firefighter and serving his country by saving lives. His aspirations were cut short when he was killed on January 9, 2026, during protests against the Islamic regime.

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Abolfazl was such a loyal and faithful boy. He was so innocent and trusting that he never imagined he would be confronted with live ammunition.

His mother remembers Abolfazl as a loyal, innocent, and respectful young man. "Abolfazl was such a loyal and faithful boy," she told The Jerusalem Post. "He was so innocent and trusting that he never imagined he would be confronted with live ammunition."

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There was nobody there; nobody had the courage to say anything. Dad, at worst they’ll only use shotgun pellets.

On the evening of January 8, Abolfazl expressed disappointment that more people had not joined the protests. The following evening, he was killed, reportedly struck twice by shotgun pellets, once in the head and once in the leg. His mother stated he went out believing he could stand, unarmed, for the rights of the poor and for justice.

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My Abolfazl was a modest, understanding boy - well-mannered and polite. He treated everyone with great respect.

Abolfazl worked diligently to support himself and pursue his dreams, taking on various jobs and saving money. He had recently purchased a second-hand motorcycle, a significant achievement after much hard work. His mother shared that he had planned to enroll in university the next day to study firefighting, a dream that would never be realized. "My son wanted to serve this country," she said. "His kind soul wanted to save people’s lives."

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My son wanted to serve this country. His kind soul wanted to save people’s lives.