WANA (Jul 24) – “Najmeh Shamsbakhsh, A female mountaineer and cyclist was killed following the attacks by the Israeli regime.” This was the news that spread across the media after that bloody Friday and the beginning of a 12-day imposed war. But who was she?

 

In the silence of dawn on June 13, at the “Sarve” university professors’ residential complex located in the Saadat Abad neighborhood of Tehran, a father’s heart began to beat again beneath the ashes and silence. He began searching for his child among the ruins and flames — and finally, in the cold hands of morning, found the most painful truth of his life.

 

The devastation of that night not only crushed Najmeh’s body and her family; the weight of it cast a shadow over the hearts of an entire nation.

 

You Have No Excuse — She Was Neither a Soldier nor a Scientist

Zahra (Najmeh) Shamsbakhsh — a girl full of love for nature, educated, and an inspiring figure for the younger generation — became a symbol of the vulnerability and defenselessness of families whose homes were targeted by the enemy’s vengeance.

 

Najmeh’s story is the story of the collapse of every article and clause of human rights — a living example of how terrorism, regardless of borders or identity, mercilessly targets even those who simply love life.

 

Various reports have been published since the Israeli regime’s attack on the Sarv-e Ostadān complex at dawn on Friday, June 13. This was the building where Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi was struck by Israeli missiles, and along with him, his wife, four of his bodyguards, and several neighbors were killed.

 

But today, we tell the story of Najmeh — a girl whose love for cycling, mountaineering, and nature, combined with a deep sense of patriotism, made her a beloved and inspiring figure among the youth. She and her family lived in the Sarv complex.

Zahra (Najmeh) Shamsbakhsh, who lost her life in an Israeli strike. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Zahra (Najmeh) Shamsbakhsh was born in 1990 in the city of Ahvaz. With a degree in computer engineering and a position in the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology, she was known as an active and well-regarded figure in Iran’s eco-sports community. She had climbed many of Iran’s peaks and, according to those around her, was full of joy and passion for life.

 

After the news of her death spread on the X platform and other social networks, users responded emotionally to the crime by posting heartfelt messages.

 

One user wrote: “Najmeh wasn’t just an athlete; she was a daughter of Iran’s nature, who rode her bike through the roads with love.”

 

Another wrote: “You have no excuse — she wasn’t military, she wasn’t a scientist; she simply loved her homeland.”

 

And another said: “For the Israeli regime, it makes no difference — if they can’t strike a scientist, they strike a nature-lover. This is the logic of the rabid dog of the region.”

 

Altogether, these reactions reflected a growing anger over the direct targeting of civilians — a rage that continues to this day among the people of Iran and the awakened conscience of the world.

 

At exactly 3:20 a.m. on Friday, June 13, it all began with a massive explosion — one that not only stole the peace of a family but also plunged the scientific community of the country into shock and grief.

 

Several of Iran’s nuclear scientists were struck by Israeli missiles in their homes, and most were martyred alongside their spouses and children. Beyond that, due to the force of the explosions, neighboring homes were also destroyed, and a number of residents — men, women, and small children — were martyred.

 

What follows is a firsthand account from one of the survivors of the incident — Masoud Shamsbakhsh, father of Zahra (Najmeh) and the Deputy Minister of Science, who lived next door to Tehranchi. He described that night to the reporter as follows:

Zahra (Najmeh) Shamsbakhsh, who lost her life in an Israeli strike. Social media/ WANA News Agency

The Incident as Told by Najmeh’s Father

“I think it was around 3:20 in the morning when I woke up to the sound of a massive explosion and rubble falling on me. I immediately realized we were under attack. At first, my wife thought it was an earthquake. I called out to her from under the debris, saw that something had fallen on her, but thank God she was alive. I said, ‘Let me help you,’ and she said, ‘No — go after the kids!’

 

We lived in a three-bedroom apartment on the sixth floor of the Sarv building near Ketab Square. Our next-door neighbor was Mr. Tehranchi. The explosion destroyed our apartment as well, and rubble buried us.”

 

The Struggle to Save His Family

“I have two daughters — Maryam and Zahra, whom we call Najmeh at home. I called out to Maryam, my younger daughter. She called back for help; some of the furniture and part of the wardrobe had fallen on her. It was 3:20 in the morning, pitch dark. I cleared the rubble and lifted her out.

 

I then realized the entire window of the room was gone, and the bed had almost fallen half a meter out the window. It was so dark — truly, God helped me. If I had made one careless move, the bed would have fallen down to the lower floors. I somehow got myself there, moved the stuff aside, and lifted her up. She was injured, with burns and fractures, which we later confirmed at the hospital.”

 

Searching for Najmeh / There was no sound…

I went looking for my other daughter—there was still no sound. I tried to guess where her room had been among the rubble, using the ceiling and columns for reference, because no walls were left anymore.

 

I moved all the debris from little Najmeh’s room and kept calling her name—but there was nothing left of the room. If you look at the photos of the building, you’ll understand—there are no walls or windows left there.

Zahra (Najmeh) Shamsbakhsh’s house after the Israeli strike. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Fire and relentless effort amidst smoke and rubble

I got my wife and younger daughter to the emergency stairs and returned to the house to find Najmeh again. A major fire had broken out; the gas tank had caught fire.

 

The fire department had begun trying to extinguish the flames. They managed to evacuate my daughter from the building, but my wife wouldn’t move from the stairs—she was worried about our other daughter.

 

They kept warning us to evacuate because the building could collapse, just like the Plasco building. But I couldn’t leave without Najmeh. I thought her body was trapped under the rubble of our home, and I wanted to bring her with me.

 

The bitter moment of identification…

After three hours of searching, around 6:30 in the morning, they announced that a body had been found at the base of the building. The explosion had been so powerful that it had thrown all of Najmeh’s room’s contents out of the apartment.

 

Najmeh herself had fallen into the courtyard, and because a mattress had landed on top of her, they only found her three hours later. I told the building manager, “Please go downstairs and see who the person is.”

 

He went, checked, and when he came back, he said, “Unfortunately, the body belongs to Najmeh. She has been martyred.”

 

Najmeh — A girl full of zest for life

Najmeh had a degree in IT software and had worked for a time at the Mosa Sadr Cultural-Research Institute, as well as with the “Darolkaram” charity, which supports children deprived of education. She was also active in the “Andisheh Club” institute, organizing and leading religious gatherings.

Zahra (Najmeh) Shamsbakhsh’s house after the Israeli strike. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Love of nature and sports

At the same time, she was a member of the “Salam Hamnavard” hiking group and had a deep passion for cycling, mountaineering, and exploring nature. She was an extremely active person, full of life and enthusiasm.

 

A horrific and indefensible act

Targeting people’s homes is a horrific and indefensible act. No place in the world can justify such an action. Even if the individual is a scientist, their home should never be a target. What was the crime of scientists like Tehranchi, Faghihi, Zolfaghari, Abbasi, and others? They had simply studied, taught, and served as university professors.

 

In the Sarv Residential Complex incident, 16 people were killed—including Mr. Tehranchi and his wife. What was their fault? What authority in the world can defend such a crime?

 

The nature of the Israeli regime

The nature of this regime is founded on such crimes. These acts resemble the attacks of the past two years in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.
Despite the human rights slogans of international organizations, nothing is being done to stop these atrocities.

 

The number of victims in Gaza has reached about 60,000 people, mostly women and children. These attacks contradict every principle of warfare.

 

Organizations and governments do not help; we must address the world’s public opinion through the media and make people aware of this oppression. The more images and videos of these incidents are shared, the more global awareness can be raised. Some people don’t even condemn these crimes—it’s as if the world is deaf and blind.

Zahra (Najmeh) Shamsbakhsh, who lost her life in an Israeli strike. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Status of the Sarv Complex

The Sarv residential complex is no longer habitable. The sixth, fifth, and parts of the seventh floors have been destroyed. The infrastructure systems—heating, gas, and electricity—have been destroyed.

 

48 families had been living in this complex. Currently, the complex is under evaluation for either reconstruction and reinforcement or complete demolition and rebuilding.

 

14 Years of Being Neighbors with Dr. Tehranchi

“We were Mr. Tehranchi’s neighbors for 14 years. He, his wife, and their children were very respectable, devout, and honorable. We saw nothing but goodness from them. His loss is a great tragedy.

 

I hope such incidents never happen anywhere else, and we do not witness such attacks again. It is the duty of the media to spread images and information as widely as possible, to make these injustices heard by the world, because the organizations and governments of the world are incapable of doing anything.”

 

And in the End…

The tragic and horrifying attack on the Sarv complex and other residential homes in Tehran not only left the families of the victims and the country’s scientific community in mourning but, by directly targeting civilians, once again served as a warning to the world about the ruthless and lawless nature of the Israeli regime.

 

The heartbreaking story of the life and death of Najmeh Shamsbakhsh—a vibrant and patriotic girl who symbolized the connection between youth, nature, and human values—highlights the human dimension and the innocence of these victims to all awakened consciences.

 

In this incident, scientists, commanders, families, and even defenseless children were targeted; their only “crime” was their love for knowledge, homeland, and the right to live in their own land—a tragedy that cannot be justified by any law, ethics, or standard of humanity.

 

The destruction of homes and the death of many ordinary and civilian people is a clear reflection of the Israeli regime’s policy of chaos, intimidation, and disregard for human rights—something we have witnessed for years in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon as well.

 

The loss of all these people we lost in the 12-day war is an irreparable blow to the country. But the memory of Najmeh and the others will serve as a role model for the younger generation—to walk the path of love for their homeland, knowledge, and excellence, and not allow these crimes to be buried in the noise of global media.