Blood-Stained Robes of Martyred Ayatollah Donated to Tabriz Museum

According to Saed News, the personal belongings and clerical robe of the late Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Ali Al-Hashem—stained and torn in the final moments of his life—have been placed on display at the Azerbaijan Museum in Tabriz. The haunting exhibit captures the raw grief surrounding his death and that of President Ebrahim Raisi in the helicopter crash that shocked the nation on May 19, 2024.

Ayatollah Al-Hashem, born in 1962, was a prominent religious and political figure in Iran. He served as the Friday Prayer Leader of Tabriz and held the position of Supreme Leader’s representative in East Azerbaijan Province. A respected cleric, he was also a member of the Assembly of Experts representing the region during its sixth term, and earlier served in leadership roles within the ideological-political structure of Iran’s army.

On the ill-fated day in May, Al-Hashem accompanied President Raisi and others aboard a helicopter that crashed in the mountainous terrain of Varzeghan, claiming the lives of all onboard. The tragedy drew widespread national mourning, with both men being revered as martyrs.

Now, the display of his final garments—soaked in tragedy and layered with symbolism—serves as a visceral testament to sacrifice and service. Visitors to the Tabriz museum are confronted not with polished relics, but with the unvarnished remnants of duty carried to its ultimate end.