Tehran Woman Killed by Father in Apparent Honor Killing

TEHRAN,Iran (April 27,2025) – Fatemeh soltani,18,died after being stabbed multiple times⁤ in⁢ Tehran on April 17. Women’s ​rights organizations and international media ⁢outlets report that Soltani’s father is the ​alleged perpetrator.Some reports indicate the father may have decapitated‌ Soltani before the stabbing.

Reports indicate Soltani was attacked outside a nail salon where she worked while⁢ on a phone⁤ call. Iran‍ International reports she had moved out of‍ her family home due to domestic violence.

Motives for the Killing Remain⁢ Unclear

A close friend‌ of the Soltani family⁤ told reporters that ‍Fatemeh had been living apart from⁢ her father and family ‌for ‍some time due ⁢to domestic violence and had become financially independent.

Soltani’s 48-year-old father reportedly told police ‌he ⁣killed his daughter following a “family dispute,” according to BBC News and women’s‍ groups. Mohammad reza Alizadeh,‍ commander‌ of police in‌ Islamshahr,⁢ allegedly told local media⁢ the​ father was ‌angered ‌by Soltani’s independence.

Though, the victim’s brother told Khabar Online that the⁤ father murdered his sister to conceal his ‌own infidelity, contradicting earlier⁢ reports about the motive.

According to Iran International, an unnamed source said the father obtained his daughter’s phone number and work address ⁣from‌ her business’s Instagram account. The account, now reportedly managed by Soltani’s brother, has shared memorial videos.

Images​ of the​ attack have circulated online and were shared‌ by BBC News.

Outcry Over Violence Against Women in Iran

The Women’s Commitee of the National Resistance council of Iran issued‌ a statement ⁣saying ⁢the killing highlights systemic issues. “The root of⁤ violence against women‍ and the main cause of these murders and‍ social tragedies lies in the misogynist clerical regime,which,in more than 46 years,has not even approved the⁣ bill to prevent violence against women in​ their parliament. In this regime,‌ the abuse and even murder of‍ women has few consequences.”

The Women’s Committee ⁣of the National Resistance ⁣Council of‌ Iran is calling on the ⁣UN Special Rapporteur on Iran and the⁣ UN‍ Special Rapporteur⁣ on ⁤violence against women to investigate the situation and expel representatives of ​what ⁤thay describe as a ⁤”misogynist regime” from international organizations.