Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou

Quick Facts

• Region: Urmia, Iranian Kurdistan
• Born: December 22, 1930, Urmia (Iran)
• Died: July 13, 1989, Vienna, Austria
• Known for: KDPI secretary-general, Kurdish political leadership in Iran

Overview

Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou was an Iranian Kurdish politician who led the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI) from 1973 until his assassination in 1989. He played a major role in Kurdish politics in Iran during and after the 1979 revolution.

He was killed in Vienna during negotiations, an event that had lasting consequences for Kurdish political movements in Iran and abroad.

Life and Leadership

Ghassemlou was educated in Europe and became a leading voice for Kurdish autonomy in Iran. As secretary-general of the KDPI, he sought political solutions while navigating periods of armed conflict.

Legacy

His assassination made him a martyr figure for many Kurds and remains a defining moment in modern Kurdish political history.