A Poet, Teacher, Writer, and Revolutionary
Marzieh Ahmadi Oskouei (1945 – April 26, 1974) is not just a name in Iran’s contemporary history; she was a poet, teacher, writer, and revolutionary whose life embodied resistance and struggle.
Believing in the ideals of justice during the Pahlavi dictatorship, Marzieh Ahmadi Oskouei stepped into the political arena and began her activism alongside prominent figures like Samad Behrangi and Behrouz Dehqani.
In Tehran, she and a group of like-minded individuals formed a resistance cell, and soon after, she joined the Organization of Iranian People’s Fedai Guerrillas—an organization that believed armed struggle was the only path to liberation. However, her role wasn’t limited to armed resistance; Marzieh played a leading and pivotal role in organizing student strikes and leading protests, particularly during 1969 and 1970.
In 1970, she was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to one year in prison. After her release, she briefly returned to her hometown and resumed her teaching profession but soon returned to Tehran and joined the socialist circle of Nader Shayegan and Hassan Romina.
On the morning of April 26, 1974, while being pursued by SAVAK agents, she attempted to flee and reach a safe house in Shah Square. As the circle tightened, agents, over the radio, described her as “a man in women’s clothing.” Marzieh fought back with her pistol, and ultimately, when escape was no longer possible, she ingested her cyanide pill before SAVAK bullets could take her life. Her lifeless body was repeatedly targeted by machine gun fire from SAVAK forces.
Today, Marzieh Ahmadi Oskouei rests in Section 33 of Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery, a symbol of resistance and an inspirational figure for revolutionary women in Iran. Her legacy endures in works such as the short story collection Hello, Mr. Teacher—a voice that will never be silenced.
