Mehdi Zartaji: Red Crescent aid worker who was killed while saving lives

Mehdi Zartaji, a 39-year-old paramedic with a degree in public administration, had dedicated his life to serving others. A devoted husband and father of two, he was known among his colleagues at the East Azerbaijan branch of the Iranian Red Crescent for his quiet strength and deep sense of duty. As the shift supervisor at the Gomichi Roadside Relief Base in Osku County, he was always among the first to respond when lives were at stake.

On June 12, 2025 , as Israel launched deadly airstrikes across Iranian cities, Zartaji was on duty. He rushed to help the injured near a targeted military site on the outskirts of Tabriz. There, while transporting the wounded, he was killed by an Israeli drone strike. 

According to Hamshahri Media Group his cousin, who worked alongside him for years, recalls: “Mehdi was more than family — he was a brother. He lived for others, especially those in hardship. He always tried to solve even the smallest problems for villagers around us. They trusted him. They loved him.”

 Mehdi embodied the spirit of humanitarian service. He never turned his back on danger—not when there was someone to help. His sacrifice is not only a testament to his courage, but also a painful reminder: in this war, even those trying to save lives have become targets.

He died not in combat, but in compassion. His name will live on—not in battlefields, but in the memory of every life he tried to save.