Justice for the October-Born: The Candles That Still Burn

In Iran, the families of the victims of Flight PS752 gather every month to honor the birthdays of their loved ones who are no longer among them. This monthly ritual has become a symbol of endurance and civic resistance against forgetfulness and deceit — a memorial marked by flowers, candles, and tears, yet its echo resounds louder than any cry.

This month, on Friday, October 17, 2025, families came together at Behesht Fatemeh Cemetery in Lavasanat to commemorate the passengers who were born in October. The ceremony, modest yet deeply meaningful, intertwined remembrance with a renewed call for truth and justice. Participants said these gatherings are not only to keep their loved ones’ memories alive but also to confront the lies that the Islamic Republic has repeated since the day of the tragedy.

From That January to Forever
The survivors of the January 2020 downing of Flight PS752 have remained steadfast in their pursuit of justice — a struggle that, they say, will continue until every perpetrator and commander behind this crime is held accountable. For them, every birthday, every gathering, and every act of remembrance marks another step on the long road toward truth and justice.

At the end of the ceremony, attendees lit candles in memory of the victims and repeated their enduring slogan: “We will not forget, nor shall we ever forgive.”

These words — now one of the defining symbols of the PS752 justice movement — once again echoed through the crowd, spoken by families who, nearly five years after the downing, still stand firm: against lies, for truth, and for justice.