Young people in Zahedan commemorated the victims of the 2022 uprising, highlighting continued resistance, rejection of both monarchical and clerical dictatorship, and the call for freedom and a democratic republic.
Young people associated with Iran’s Resistance Units in Zahedan marked the anniversary of the 2022 nationwide uprising by displaying banners and placards honoring those killed during the protests and reaffirming calls for freedom, equality, and a democratic republic.
The activities, reported on September 18, featured messages drawing on statements by Maryam Rajavi and Massoud Rajavi. The slogans and banners emphasized the continuation of resistance against Iran’s regime, the role attributed to the Resistance Units in keeping the spirit of protest alive, and the rejection of both monarchical and clerical dictatorship.
Among the central themes was the slogan “No to Shah, No to Mullahs,” alongside calls for freedom, peace, equality, and a democratic republic.
Remembering the 2022 Uprising and Its Victims
The activities in Zahedan focused on commemorating the 2022 uprising and those who lost their lives during the nationwide protests.
Messages displayed by the young activists recalled the significance of the uprising and highlighted the role of women and organized resistance. One of the messages attributed to Maryam Rajavi described the 2022 uprising as having popularized the slogan rejecting oppression regardless of whether it comes in the form of a monarch or a supreme leader.
Other messages praised the activities of the Resistance Units, presenting them as a force that has sought to keep the spirit of the uprising alive across Iran.
The banners also carried a broader political message: that opposition to Iran’s current system was being linked to a demand for fundamental political change rather than limited reforms.
Calls for an End to Clerical Rule
A second major theme was the call for the overthrow of Iran’s theocratic system and its replacement with democratic rule.
Messages attributed to Maryam Rajavi called for ending the entirety of the clerical dictatorship and argued that Iran’s political future should be based on democracy and popular sovereignty.
The displayed messages also connected domestic repression with other policies attributed to the regime, including executions, torture, terrorism, and regional warmongering. One message argued that economic pressure on ordinary people and intensified repression would not prevent renewed protests.
The activities therefore linked remembrance of the 2022 uprising with a broader message of continued opposition to the regime.
“No to Shah, No to Mullahs”
Messages attributed to Massoud Rajavi emphasized the concept of an organized struggle for freedom and a democratic republic. The banners described the confrontation with dictatorship as a longstanding conflict between the Iranian people and organized resistance on one side and authoritarian rule on the other.
The slogan “No to Shah, No to Mullahs” was particularly prominent. Other placards stated:
- “Dictatorship is dictatorship, whether with a turban or a crown.”
- “From Zahedan to Tehran: Death to the oppressor, whether Shah or supreme leader.”
- “No to Mullah, No to Shah — Freedom and a Democratic Republic.”
- “Woman, Resistance, Freedom.”
These slogans presented opposition to both the former monarchy and the current clerical system as part of the activists’ political message.
Resistance Continues in Zahedan
Zahedan has repeatedly featured in Iran’s protest movement, particularly since the 2022 uprising. The September 18 activities connected the commemoration of that uprising with a message that resistance should continue despite repression.
By displaying banners and placards in public spaces, the activists sought to keep the memory of the victims visible while promoting their stated vision of political change.
The activities also underscored the continuing importance of the “No to Shah, No to Mullahs” slogan within the Resistance Units’ messaging: rejection of both forms of dictatorship and advocacy of a future based on freedom, equality, popular sovereignty, and a democratic republic.