Condolences on the Passing of Reza Olia, a Master of Art and Resistance for Freedom in Iran

The master painter and sculptor, Mr. Reza Olia—a committed Iranian artist and member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), who seamlessly intertwined his art with a steadfast and unyielding struggle for freedom and justice—has left us.
I pay tribute to this noble figure, who was a loyal companion and steadfast ally of the National Council of Resistance from its very first weeks, consistently defending its positions and remaining a sincere, devoted supporter of the NCRI Chairman.
I offer my deepest condolences on the profoundly lamented passing of this eminent master of art and resistance to the NCRI Chair, NCRI members, and the community of Iran’s freedom-loving and committed artists. Indeed, he was an extraordinary and exemplary figure among resistance artists, whose name will eternally endure in the history of Iranian art.
Reza Olia’s steadfast commitment to his principles and his unwavering adherence to the red lines of the Iranian people’s democratic revolution against both the Shah and the Mullahs were renowned among the members, allies, and supporters of the Iranian Resistance, and a source of profound pride. In this regard, he was truly a master and a mentor for the younger generation of artists.
Master Reza Olia rose up against both the dictatorships of the Shah and the Mullahs, repeatedly elevating his deep-seated emotions and bonds with the heroes of resistance against these two regimes—with political prisoners, martyrs, and self-sacrificing freedom fighters—to their highest peak through his paintings and sculptures. This lifetime of dedication spanned from the creation of his statue of Khosrow Roozbeh, which graces a public square in the Italian city of Fiano Romano, to the bust of Mohammad Hanifnejad, the great founder of the PMOI/MEK; his painting of Mousa Khiabani and Ashraf Rajavi; his sculpture of Neda Agha-Soltan, a martyr of the 2009 uprising; and the statue of Navid Afkari, which he dedicated to the Resistance Units on the anniversary of the November 2019 uprising.
The memory of Reza Olia will never fade from the history of the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy, nor from the history of Iranian art. He will forever serve as an inspiration for generations of youth and artists who rise up for the liberation of their homeland and its people.

A brief biography

Master Reza Olia—a committed and freedom-fighting artist, a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, and a master sculptor and painter—passed away on Thursday afternoon, July 9, 2026, at the age of 87. He had been hospitalized for some time due to a kidney ailment.

Reza Olia began his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome in the early 1960s. Due to his political activities against the Shah’s regime, he was subsequently granted political asylum in Italy.
He leaves behind a legacy of more than 60 years of ceaseless and unwavering struggle against the dictatorships of both the Shah and the Mullahs.
From the very inception of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in 1981, Reza Olia was among its most loyal companions and allies. In the earliest weeks following the arrival of Mr. Massoud Rajavi, the NCRI Chairman, in Paris, he traveled swiftly to meet him.
Following the March 1993 assassination of Mohammad Hossein Naghdi, the NCRI’s representative in Italy, the Italian government officially assumed responsibility for Reza Olia’s protection, a security detail that remained in place until the end of his life.
Reza Olia is one of Iran’s most renowned sculptors. Among his notable works are busts and statues of Khosrow Roozbeh; Enrico Berlinguer, the leader of the Italian Communist Party; Mohammad Hanifnejad, the founder of the PMOI/MEK; Emad Ram; Neda Agha-Soltan; Ms. Marzieh; Madame Danielle Mitterrand; Lord Slynn; Saba Haftbaradaran; Navid Afkari; Reyhaneh Jabbari; Baktash Abtin; and Dr. Manouchehr Hezarkhani.
A number of these valuable, hand-crafted sculptures by Reza Olia are preserved and displayed in the Museum of Resistance.
Reza Olia also leaves behind several published books, including The Daughters of Iran. This work chronicles the lives of female political prisoners who supported the Resistance, vividly portraying their immense suffering and steadfast endurance within the regime’s prisons. He dedicated this book to the revered Mother of the Martyred Rezaei.