TEHRAN – Gilan’s tourism authorities are preparing package tours that will tell the story of Mirza Kuchak Khan, a legendary freedom fighter and Iranian national hero of the early twentieth century.

Visitors will be offered to explore the birthplace of this prominent religious and national figure in the city of Rasht, the remnants of the Jangal Movement and the place of Mirza’s martyrdom, the provincial tourism chief has said. 

Spreading the culture of self-sacrifice, promoting valuable religious cultures, and properly introducing this prominent figure of the northern province are the goals of the tour, ILNA quoted Vali Jahani as saying on Thursday. 

“In the field of religious tourism, Gilan province has a great deal of potential to attract tourists as well as to introduce the rich culture of its people,” the official added. 

Born Yunes, Mirza Kuchak Khan (1880-1921), established the movement in the forests of Gilan that became known as the Jangal (Forest) Movement in response to the period of political decay brought about by the advent of World War I and the occupation of Iran by Anglo-Russian and Ottoman troops.

The uprising started in 1914 and remained active until 1921 when the movement was defeated.

It laid the ground for a popular movement in the northern part of the country. In this period, the Iranian people were grappling with social unrest, anarchy, political turmoil, abject poverty, famine, and numerous other problems.

After Reza Khan took power in 1920, he issued a highly classified document requesting high-ranking security officials to deliver Mirza Kuchak to him, dead or alive, offering a large reward to whoever did so.

This secret document shows that the king of Iran was desperately seeking to suppress the Jangal Movement as soon as possible to crack down on the new freedom movements mobilized in different parts of Iran.

Mirza and his companion named Gaouk, a Russian-German revolutionary adventurer, fleeing from the central government forces both died of frostbite in the Talesh mountains near Masal on December 2, 1921.

ABU/AFM