Congressman Ruiz's speech in the U.S. House of Representatives: The story of Mother Rezaei is about resilience and resistance for human rights

iran news:

I rise today to honor the profound courage and sacrifice of a woman whose story embodies the enduring struggle for freedom and human dignity in Iran. A woman known simply and lovingly as "Aziz," meaning "dear" or "beloved."

Her full name is Aziz Rezaei, and she is a "Mother of Resistance." Aziz was born as Zahra in 1929 in Tehran. And like many mothers around the world, she married young, raised a large family, and worked to give her children a better future. But the tides of Iranian history pulled her family into the heart of political repression and terror.

Aziz endured a heartbreak that no parent should ever face: the loss of nine members of her family. Four sons, three daughters, two sons-in-law—all killed across two successive dictatorships that feared the voices of those seeking democracy and basic rights. First under the Shah, and later under the clerical regime that replaced him.

Her children’s only so-called "crime" was their involvement in Iran’s democratic opposition movement. A movement that dared to say that the people of Iran deserved liberty, justice, and respect for humanrights.

During the rule of the Shah, three of Aziz’s children were imprisoned and tortured, and one was killed in the street by secret police. Aziz herself was arrested in 1975 and spent more than three years in prison. She was tortured, she was flogged, she was hung upside down, she was forced into solitary confinement, and yet she never broke. The scars on the soles of her feet remain today, living proof of cruelty she endured for simply wanting freedom for her people.

Her son Mehdi, only 19 years old when arrested, refused to bow to the torture inflicted on him. In a rare public trial before foreign journalists, he exposed the brutal acts of the regime and pledged his life to the poor and oppressed in Iran. That defiance cost him his life, but his voice continues to echo.

After the 1979 revolution, the Iranian people hoped for democracy. Instead, a new tyranny rose, one just as ruthless as the one before. The new regime once again targeted Aziz’s family. In 1982, her daughter Azar—eight months pregnant—and her husband were killed in a raid by the Revolutionary Guard. Aziz fled the country, forced into exile where she continued her fight from abroad. Years later, more of her family members were executed.

Mr. Speaker, how much can one mother bear? How many sacrifices must one family make for freedom?

Despite the unimaginable loss, despite being denied the right to return home, Aziz has never surrendered her hope for a democratic, free Iran. Today, in her 90s, living in a modest apartment on the outskirts of Paris, she remains steadfast. She continues to speak out. She continues to believe.

She says, quote: "The movement to liberate Iran hasn't died. It is strong, it is alive, and we are marching forward." Unquote.

Aziz Rezaei's story is not only about suffering; it is about endurance. It is about resilience and resistance. It is a testament to the unbreakable spirit of the Iranian people who continue to demand basic human rights and who risk everything—including their lives—to achieve them.

Mr. Speaker, we stand here in the United States Congress, a place that symbolizes freedom and democratic voice. We must never take those values for granted. And we must never turn our eyes away from those who fight for them around the world.

Today, I honor Aziz, a "Mother of Resistance," and all Iranians who stand bravely against oppression. I stand with the Iranian people in their pursuit of democracy, equality, and human dignity. And I reaffirm that the United States will always support the fundamental rights of people seeking freedom.

May Aziz’s courage continue to inspire us like it has inspired me, and may her sacrifices never be forgotten. And may the day come soon when the people of Iran can live free, in peace, justice, and democracy.

Thank you, and I yield back.