Behesht-e Zahra ( ; ) is the largest cemetery in Iran. Located in the southern part of metropolitan Tehran, it is connected to the city by Tehran Metro Line 1.
History In the early 1950s, all the cemeteries in Tehran were supposed to be replaced by several large new ones outside the then precincts of the capital. Behesht-e Zahra was built in late 1960s on the southern side of Tehran towards the direction of the city of Qom and opened on 29 June 1970 by mayor of Tehran, Gholamreza Nikpey.
Many of the deceased soldiers of the Iran–Iraq War were buried in the martyrs' section of the cemetery.
In 2025, satellite pictures emerged showing the cemetery's Lot 41, where victims of mass executions that occurred following the Iranian Revolution are buried, being paved over and converted into a parking area.
Notable burials Royalty Prince Abdol-Ali Mirzā Farmān Farmāiān (1935–1973) – industrialist and nobleman Badr-ol-Moluk Vālā (1895–1979) – wife of Ahmad Shah Qajar Princess (1891–1984) – daughter of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar Princess Irāndokht Qājār (1915–1984) – daughter of Ahmad Shah Qajar Princess (1916–1990) – daughter of Reza Shah Prince Hamid-Rezā Pahlavi (1932–1992) – youngest son of Reza Shah Esmat Dowlatshāhi (1904–1995) – Reza Shah's wife
Politicians (Pahlavi Era) (1895–1971) – politician and scholar Loqmān ol-Molk (1888–1972) – minister of health (1944–48) and senator Abdolrahmān Farāmarzi (1897–1972) – politician Hossein Navāb (1897–1972) – minister of foreign affairs (1952) (1903–1972) – governor of the Central Bank Mozaffar A'lam (1882–1973) – politician Mohammad Sā'ed Sā'ed ol-Vozarā (1883–1973) – prime minister of Iran (1944) and (1948–50) Ahmad Ārāmesh (1908–1973) – minister of labour (1946–47) (1888–1974) – politician (1891–1974) – politician (1898–1974) – senator Mohammad-Ali Keshavārz Sadr Bahādor ol-Molk (1902–1974) – politician Hājar Tarbiat (1906–1974) – senator Ahmad Ali Sepehr (1889–1975) – politician and historian (1928–1975) – politician (1903–1977) – politician (1911–1977) – senator (1911–1977) – senator (1912–1977) – senator Amir-Abbās Hoveydā (1919–1979) – prime minister of Iran (1965–77) and leader of Rastakhiz party Mahmoud Jafariān (1928–1979) – director-general of National Iranian Radio and Television (NIRT) Gholāmhossein Dāneshi (fa) (1936–1979) – politician Parviz Nikkhāh (1939–1979) – politician Sālār Jāff (fa) (1940–1979) – politician Najafgholi Moezzi Hesām od-Dowleh (fa) (1886–1980) – politician Habibollāh Amouzgār (fa) (1890–1980) – minister of education (1951) and senator Abolqāsem Najm (1892–1980) – minister of foreign affairs (1945–46) Nasrollāh Entezām (1900–1980) – diplomat Hossein-Ali Rāshed (fa) (1905–1980) – politician Farrokhroo Pārsā (1922–1980) – minister of education (1968–71) Anoushirvān Sepahbodi (1888–1981) – diplomat and minister of foreign affairs (1947) Javād Āmeri (1891–1981) – politician Allāh-Yār Sāleh (1897–1981) – diplomat and politician Abdolbāghi Shoāei (fa) (1903–1982) – minister of finance (1960–62) Mehdi Mashāyekhi (fa) (1905–1985) – mayor of Tehran (1945–46) Abbās Ārām (1906–1985) – minister of foreign affairs (1959–66) Shams Qanatābādi (fa) (1914–1987) – politician Amir-Teymour Kalāli (1894–1988) – minister of interior (1949–51) Ebrāhim Fakhrāei (fa) (1899–1988) – politician Zeynolābedin Rahnamā (fa) (1890–1989) – politician Mohammad Ali Vārasteh (1896–1989) – politician Hossein Joudat (1892–1990) – politician Kāzem Hassibi (1906–1990) – politician Jahāngir Tafazzoli (1914–1990) – politician Shamseddin Amir-Alāei (1900–1994) – diplomat and politician Mehdi Āzar (1901–1994) – minister of education (1952–53) Ahmad Hooman (1909–1995) – minister of imperial court (1951) Azizollāh Malek-Esmāili (fa) (1903–1996) – politician Jahanshah Saleh (1905–1996) – physician and politician Jalāl Abdoh (1909–1996) – diplomat Nosratollāh Kāsemi (fa) (1911–1996) – politician Parvin Soufi (fa) (d. 1997) – politician Vajihollāh Fāzel (fa) (1907–1998) – senator Gholāmali Farivar (1905–1998) – minister of industries and mines (1961) Shams-ol-Molouk Mosāheb (1922–1998) – senator Abolfazl Ghāzi (fa) (1931–1998) – minister of higher education (1978) Mehrangiz Manouchehriān (1906–2000) – lawyer and senator Hassan Shālchiān (1911–2000) – minister of roads and transportation Javād Sadr (1912–2000) – minister of interior (1963–66) Abolghāsem Tafazzoli (fa) (1921–2004) – politician Sabār Farmānfarmāiān (1912–2006) – minister of health (1953) Amir-Nosratollāh Bālākhānlou (1917–2007) – politician Mohammad-Ali Safi-Asfiā (1913–2008) – chief of Planning and Budget Organization (1962–68) Kāzem Oskouei (fa) (1919–2009) – politician Mohammad-Rezā Jalāli Nāeini (fa) (1916–2010) – senator Masoud Borzin (fa) (1920–2010) – director-general of NIRT Hassan-Ali Sāremi Kalāli (fa) (1926–2011) – politician Manouchehr Āgah (fa) (1930–2012) – politician Yahyā Sādeq Vaziri (1911–2013) – minister of justice (1979) Rahim Zehtābfar (fa) (1927–2013) – politician Rezā Kermāni (fa) (1934–2013) – politician Manouchehr Saeid Vaziri (fa) (1920–2014) – politician Hossein Falsafi (fa) (1919–2015) – politician Karim Mo'tamedi (fa) (1928–2018) – minister of communications (1974–79)
Military personnel Mohammad-Ali Vājed 'Sālār Motazed' (fa) (1886–1975) – IIA general Rezā Zandipour (fa) (1923–1975) – IIA general Ahmad Mogharebi (de) (1921–1977) – IIA general Marzieh Arfa (1901–1978) – physician and IIA general Nematollāh Nassiri (1910–1979) – Imperial Iranian Army (IIA) general and head of SAVAK (1965–78) Jafarqoli Sadri (fa) (1911–1979) – head of National Police Fakhr Modarres (fa) (1917–1979) – IIA general Mehdi Rahimi (1921–1979) – IIA general Parviz Amini Afshār (1921–1979) – IIA general Rezā Nāji (1923–1979) – IIA general Manouchehr Khosrowdād (1927–1979) – Imperial Iranian Army Aviation general Nāder Jahānbāni (1928–1979) – Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) general Amir-Hossein Rabiei (1931–1979) – commander in chief of IIAF (1977–79) Houshang Hātam (1918–1980) – IIA general Said Mehdiyoun (1928–1980) – IIAF general Āyat Mohaqeqi (1931–1980) – IIAF general Ali Eghbāli Dogāhe (1949–1980) – IIAF pilot Farrokhzād Jahāngiri (fa) (1950–1980) – IIAF pilot Ahmad Keshvari (1953–1980) – IRIA pilot Houshang Vahid Dastjerdi (fa) (1925–1981) – head of National Police Valiollāh Fallāhi (1931–1981) – chief of staff of Islamic Republic of Iran Army (IRIA) Javād Fakoori (1938–1981) – chief of staff of Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Hemmatollāh Pahlavān (fa) (1906–1982) – IIA general Mahmoud Mirjalāli (fa) (1898–1983) – IIA general Mir-Mohammad Mohannā (fa) (1901–1983) – commander in chief of IIAF (1948–49) Hedayatollāh Gilānshāh (1907–1986) – commander in chief of IIAF Hassan Aghāreb Parast (1946–1984) – IRIA general Masoud Monfared Niāki (1929–1985) – IRIA general Hassan Ābshenāsān (1936–1985) – IRIA general Hossein Khal'atbari (1949–1985) – IRIAF pilot Abdolbāghi Darvish (1948–1986) – IRIAF pilot Hossein Fardoust (1917–1987) – IIA general and deputy head of SAVAK Mohammad-Ali Saffāri (fa) (1898–1988) – head of National Police and senator Bahrām Hooshyār (1938–1991) – IRIAF pilot Sādegh Amirazizi (1905–1992) – IIA general Mansour Sattāri (1948–1995) – chief of staff of IRIAF Alirezā Yāsini (fa) (1951–1995) – IRIAF pilot Ali Sayād Shirāzi (1944–1999) – chief of staff of IRIA Qāsem-Ali Zahirnejād (1924–1999) – chief of staff of IRIA Jalil Zandi (1951–2001) – IRIAF ace fighter pilot Ezzatollāh Zarghāmi (1908–2004) – IIA general Mohammad-Hādi Shādmehr (1920–2008) – chief of staff of IRIA Gholāmrezā Ghāsemi (fa) (1930–2012) – IRIA general Mortezā Bāyandariān (fa) (1940–2012) – IRIA general Siābakhsh Nassiri Zibā (fa) (1935–2013) – IRIA general Mohammad-Hossein Moeinpour (1934–2014) – chief of staff of IRIAF (1981–83) Asghar Imāniān (1929–2015) – chief of staff of IRIAF (1979) Abolfath Yāftābādi (fa) (1930–2015) – IRIAF general Mohammad Salimi (1937–2016) – chief of staff of IRIA Behrouz Soleimānjāh (fa) (1938–2016) – IRIA general Mohsen Gheytāslou (1990–2016) – member of IRIA Special Forces Manouchehr Najafdari (fa) (1931–2017) – head of National Police Ali Razmi (fa) (1933–2017) – IRIA general Ali-Akbar Mousavi Ghavidel (fa) (1937–2017) – IRIA general Cyrus Lotfi (fa) (1935–2018) – IRIA general Dāriush Zarghāmi (fa) (1940–2018) – IRIN commando Nāsser Farbod (1922–2019) – chief of staff of IRIA (1979) Houshang Seddigh (1941–2020) – chief of staff of IRIAF (1983–86) Amanollāh Mortazavi (fa) (1949–2020) – head of National Police Samad Bālāzādeh (fa) (1953–2020) – IRIAF pilot Manouchehr Mohagheghi (fa) (1943–2021) – IRIAF pilot Nāsser Mohammadifar (1945–2026) – IRIA general
Political dissidents Ali-Akbar Safāei Farāhāni (fa) (1939–1971) – Marxist activist Behrouz Dehqāni (fa) (1939–1971) – Marxist activist Ali-Rezā Nābdel (1944–1971) – Marxist activist Saeed Mohsen (1939–1972) – Marxist activist Mohammad Hanifnejād (1940–1972) – Marxist activist Ali-Asghar Badiezādegān (1940–1972) – Marxist activist Masoud Ahmadzādeh (1945–1972) – Marxist activist Mehdi Rezāei (fa) (1952–1972) – Marxist activist Khosrow Golsorkhi (1944–1974) – Marxist activist Marzieh Ahmadi (1945–1974) – Marxist activist Shirin Moāzed (fa) (1945–1974) – Marxist activist Kerāmatollāh Dāneshiān (1944–1974) – Marxist activist Bijan Jazani (1938–1975) – Marxist activist Hassan Ziā-Zarifi (1939–1975) – Marxist activist Majid Sharif Vāghefi (1948–1975) – Marxist activist Mohammad Nakhshab (fa) (1923–1976) – Marxist activist Mostafā Shoāiyān (1936–1976) – Marxist activist Hamid Ashraf (1946–1976) – Marxist activist Abbās-Ali Panbehi (1897–1977) – Marxist activist Rezā Ostād-Hassan-Bannā (fa) (1922–1978) – protester Ali Andarzgou (fa) (1937–1978) – Islamist activist Kāmrān Nejātollāhi (fa) (1953–1978) – scholar' Javād Zabihi (1930–1980) – scholar Ali Shāyegān (1901–1981) – member of the National Front Ebrāhim Karimābādi (1917–1981) – member of the National Front Karim Keshāvarz (ru) (1900–1986) – member of Tudeh Party Mozzafar Baghāei (1911–1987) – leader of Toilers Party of the Iranian Nation Ehsān Tabari (1917–1989) – member of Tudeh Party Ali-Akbar Saeidi Sirjāni (1931–1994) – journalist Ahmad Zirakzādeh (1907–1993) – member of the National Front Abolfazl Qāsemi (1921–1993) – member of the National Front Homā Dārābi (1940–1994) – pediatrician Ebrāhim Zālzādeh (1948–1997) – author Dāriush Forouhar (1928–1998) – founder of Nation Party of Iran Parvāneh Forouhar (1938–1998) – politician Majid Sharif (1950–1998) – journalist Hossein Makki (1911–1999) – member of the National Front Noureddin Kiānouri (1915–1999) – Marxist activist and general secretary of Tudeh Party Ali Ardalān (1914–2000) – politician and member of the National Front Asghar Pārsā (1919–2007) – member of the National Front Parviz Varjāvand (1934–2007) – scholar and member of the National Front Zahrā Bani-Yaghoub (1980–2007) – physician Majid Kāvousifar (1979–2007) – assassin Maryam Firouz (1914–2008) – member of Tudeh party Ali Mousavi (1966–2009) – protester Mehdi Farhādi-Rād (fa) (1971–2009) – protester Shabnam Sohrābi (fa) (1975–2009) – protester Omid-Rezā Mirsayāfi (1980–2009) – blogger Neda Āghā-Soltān (1983–2009) – protester Rāmin Pourandarjāni (1983–2009) – physician Mohammad-Hossein Feyz (fa) (1983–2009) – protester Mostafā Karimbeigi (1983–2009) – protester Mohsen Rouholamini (1984–2009) – protester Shāhrokh Rahmāni (fa) (1984–2009) – protester Ahmad Nejāti Kārgar (fa) (1987–2009) – protester Ashkān Sohrābi (fa) (1990–2009) – protester Meysam Ebādi (fa) (1990–2009) – protester Sohrāb A'rābi (1990–2009) – protester Mohammad Kāmrāni (fa) (1991–2009) – protester Mostafā Kāshāni Rasā (fa) (d. 2009) – protester Abdoulrezā Soudbakhsh (1950–2010) – physician Siāmak Pourzand (1931–2011) – journalist Hodā Sāber (1959–2011) – journalist