Iran Turning 1979 Islamic Revolution Mass Grave Into Parking Lot, Satellite Images Reveal

Last Updated:September 06, 2025, 16:22 IST

Lot 41 at Behesht-e Zahra cemetery has long been identified as the burial site for thousands executed by the Islamic Republic in the early years following the revolution

This satellite photo shows Iran paving over Lot 41, where some of those executed in the chaos after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution were buried. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Iran is converting a section of a major Tehran cemetery, long the final resting place for victims of mass executions following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, into a parking lot, new satellite images reveal.

Lot 41 at Behesht-e Zahra cemetery has long been identified as the burial site for thousands executed by the Islamic Republic in the early years following the revolution. Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC show ongoing construction in the area, with asphalt laid over parts of the site and construction materials visible.

The area, once marked by dry soil and sparse trees, is often referred to as the “scorched section." It has previously been under surveillance and subject to repeated acts of vandalism, including the removal or destruction of grave markers.

Iranian officials have acknowledged the redevelopment but have not addressed the identities of those buried there.

Tehran’s deputy mayor, Davood Goudarzi, confirmed the construction, calling the site a burial place for “hypocrites of the early revolution." He said the city needed parking and received approval to proceed.

“We proposed that the authorities reorganise the space. Since we needed a parking lot, the permission for the preparation of the space was received. The job is ongoing in a precise and smart way," Goudarzi told journalists in footage aired on state television.

Human rights experts have condemned the move. In 2024, a UN special rapporteur said Iran was attempting to “erase evidence" of past crimes to avoid legal accountability.

Shahin Nasiri, a researcher at the University of Amsterdam, called the parking lot development the “final phase" in the state’s efforts to destroy Lot 41.

“Most of the graves and gravestones of dissidents were desecrated, and the trees in the section were deliberately dried out," Nasiri noted.

The decision also appears to contradict Iranian regulations, which allow the reuse of cemetery land only after 30 years and with consent from families of the deceased.

It remains unclear if any remains have been moved. Similar grave sites, including those of political prisoners from the 1988 mass executions and Baha’i cemeteries, have also been targeted in recent years.

Mohsen Borhani, a vocal lawyer in Iran, condemned the decision to cover the graveyard with asphalt, calling it both immoral and illegal in an interview with Shargh.

“The piece was not only for executed and political people. Ordinary people were buried there, too," he stated.

Behesht-e Zahra, opened in 1970, is Iran’s largest cemetery. Researchers estimate 5,000 to 7,000 victims may be buried in Lot 41.

(With inputs from AP)

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