During the Shah regime, I lost a nephew to a secular dictatorship. During the present regime I have lost two nephews, a niece and her husband all in the name of God which makes it infinitely more unbearable.

I wonder if the leaders of the so called Islamic Republic of Iran which at the outset seemed to majority of people from all walks of life to be the silver lining of a bright future understand the phrase “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate” as the opening phrase of 113 of the 114 chapters of the Qur’an?

I wonder if the leaders of the so called Islamic Republic of Iran who at the outset promised the paradise of a democracy are familiar with the verse in the Qur’an that killing an innocent human being is comparable to killing the entire humanity.

Omid Reza’s family should take solace in the fact that he is now in spirit more alive than ever before because myriad of human being have become familiar with his name and his courage that have become mirrors reflecting the ugly face of a theocratic dictatorship that will not and cannot last.

In contrast, a true martyr never dies.