Danesh Rahnama

Danesh Rahnama (May 11, 2000 – September 22, 2022)

Danesh Rahnama was born on May 11, 2000, in the village of Balu near Urmia. He was a hardworking young man who earned his living as a stone façade worker, using his strong hands to build both homes and a future for his family. Above all, he was a loving father to his little daughter, Joana, who was only two years old when he was killed. Everything he did was for her and for the hope of a better life.
Danesh was known among his friends for his kindness, courage, and warm spirit. His closest friend was Farjad Darvishi, a brave young horseman from the same village. Despite the hardships and pressure imposed on their generation, the two friends tried to hold on to joy and hope. They laughed together, danced together, and dreamed of freedom together. In the end, their destinies would also be sealed together.
On the evening of September 20, 2022, during the nationwide protests that erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini, Danesh and Farjad joined the demonstrations in Valiasr district of Urmia. The streets were filled with grief, anger, and the voices of people demanding justice. Government forces opened fire on the protesters, and that same night Farjad Darvishi was shot and killed.
The next day, Farjad’s body was taken back to Balu village for burial. The villagers gathered in mourning and anger, carrying him to his grave while chanting anti-government slogans and “Martyrs never die.” The atmosphere in the village was filled with sorrow, rage, and solidarity. But the violence did not end there.
After the funeral, around five in the evening, a group of young people from Balu gathered and moved toward the village Basij base. They were grieving their friend and protesting his killing. The Basij forces had prepared an ambush. Electricity in the village was cut off, and gunfire suddenly erupted from the darkness.
During the attack, sixteen-year-old Abdollah Mohammadpour was shot and collapsed to the ground. When Danesh saw him bleeding, he ran toward him to help and save him. But before he could reach safety, he too was targeted and shot. Three bullets struck his body: one in his left leg, one in his side, and another near his heart. Danesh fell beside Abdollah, both of them lying in blood.
His friends rushed him into a car to take him to the hospital. In those final moments, struggling to breathe, Danesh made one last request: he asked to see his little daughter one more time. But that final wish was never fulfilled. Before reaching the hospital, he died from his wounds, joining his friends Farjad and Abdollah. The pain of never seeing Joana again remained with him until his last breath.
On September 23, 2022, Danesh Rahnama and Abdollah Mohammadpour were buried in Balu village beside the grave of Farjad Darvishi — three young men from one village, killed in the first days of Iran’s nationwide uprising.
Today, the name of Danesh Rahnama is remembered as a symbol of courage, loyalty, and sacrifice: a father who worked for his family, a friend who refused to abandon another in danger, and a young man who gave his life while trying to save someone else. Together with Farjad and Abdollah, he became part of the enduring memory of the 2022 protests and of a generation that demanded freedom at the cost of their lives.