The Foundation of Martyrs and Disabled Veterans Affairs

The Foundation of Martyrs and Disabled Veterans Affairs is one of the institutions that was established after the Islamic Revolution. On March 15, 1980, Imam Khomeini (ra), in a letter to Hujjat al-Islam Mahdi Karroubi, commissioned him to create an organization to support families of those who have been killed, injured or disabled during the Islamic Revolution. He mentioned ten services that this organization should provide to these families; they include enjoying privileges for enrollment in schools and universities, providing housing and means of living, employment, free social services and insurance, giving salary to those who are unable to work, providing medicine for them and if necessary, sending them abroad for treatment. In this way, the Foundation of Martyrs and Disabled Veterans Affairs was formed under the supervision of Hujjat al-Islam Karroubi. With the beginning of the Imposed War (1980), this foundation became more active because the number of families of martyrs and disabled veterans increased. For this reason, in 1988, the responsibility of supporting the disabled veterans was handed over to the Mostazafan Foundation.

At first, the budget of the Foundation of Martyrs Affairs had been provided by religious taxes and the government. In 1985, Imam Khomeini (ra) accepted the request of Hujjat al-Islam Karroubi that the properties left by the rulers, courtiers and statesmen affiliated with the Pahlavi regime, which had been confiscated for the benefit of the Revolution, be given to the Foundation, in accordance with shari’ah rules. However, still, 84% of the foundation’s financial resources come from the government budget and the rest is supplied via the foundation’s economic activities.

According to the statistics published by this foundation, it covers 498,810 family members of martyrs including fathers, mothers, wives and children of martyrs. Most of the budget of the Foundation of Martyrs Affairs is used to pay salaries to martyrs’ families. The foundation, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, allocated some schools to the children of martyrs for pursuing primary, elementary and high school educations establishing a university to provide them with an opportunity to enjoy higher education as well. In addition, by publishing books and magazines for different ages, it sought to promote the culture of martyrdom in society. By establishing offices in Lebanon and Syria, this foundation supported the families of martyrs who were killed during the war against Israel.

Reference: The Encyclopedia of the Islamic Revolution