-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The images of Neda Agha Soltan 's death on the streets of Tehran transformed her into an icon for Iran 's opposition movement . But very few know of Ramin Ramezani , who was killed five days before Neda during last year 's post-election demonstrations in the Iranian capital . `` I always say Neda is the miracle of the century , '' Ramin 's mother Zahra Ramezani told CNN by phone . `` Neda was destined to be known to everyone . If Ramin is n't known to everyone , that 's OK . '' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's landslide re-election on June 12 , 2009 , had sparked the biggest protests in Iran since the 1979 revolution . The following Monday , hundreds of thousands marched to Tehran 's Azadi square , calling the vote a sham . Ramin was among the crowd . Watch YouTube video of the chaos that day Ramin was on leave from military duty , back in Tehran to celebrate his 22nd birthday , just six days away . His parents told CNN that he had voted for Mir Hossein Moussavi , the opposition candidate who had energized young Iranians with promises of a freer society , more rights for women , and better relations with the West . Around 6 p.m. that day , Ramin called his parents and told them not to worry , they said . He said he 'd be home later that evening . An hour later , just blocks away from Azadi square , violence erupted at a base for the Basij , Iran 's pro-government militia . Protesters surrounded the building , shattered its windows with rocks , and set fire to several rooms . Amateur video from the scene showed several armed members of the Basij on the rooftop apparently firing shots . It was here , Ramin 's parents said , that their son was killed . A single bullet entered the right side of his chest , tore through both his lungs and killed him within minutes , his parents said . There was no way to know who fired the shot . It is widely believed that Ramin and several others who were killed on June 15 were the first casualties of the opposition movement 's protests . When Ramin did n't show up at home , the Ramezanis stayed up all night trying to reach him . Zahra Ramezani said she called Ramin 's cell phone every hour but no one answered . The following day they received a brief call from a man who did not identify himself . `` He said , ` If you want your son 's remains , ' and as soon as he said ` remains ' there was chaos in our home , '' said Zahra Ramezani . `` We were all hitting ourselves , screaming and shouting . '' For Ramin 's parents the nightmare was just beginning . Over the course of a week , they said they searched for Ramin 's remains in five hospitals . They pleaded with officials at two courthouses and the interior ministry to help them find their son 's body . Authorities said they would investigate . Finally , at a prison morgue , a prison official showed Ramin 's father the picture of his son 's remains on a computer screen . `` For about one hour I lost myself , '' Mehdi Ramezani said . `` I was hitting myself in the face and the head , asking , ` Why is my son 's naked remains on this monitor ? ' '' Mehdi Ramezani said an official at the prison morgue warned him to keep quiet about his son 's death . `` They made me promise them not to cause a big commotion during his funeral , '' Mehdi Ramezani said . `` They said it would n't be good for your future and the future of your children . '' Calls to Iran 's judiciary and security officials seeking comment were not returned . Until now , Zahra and Mehdi Ramezani have never spoken to the international media . But after keeping silent for more than nine months , they still do n't know any more about how their son died . `` They still have n't told us anything , '' Zahra Ramezani said . `` They said , ` We did n't shoot him . ' Then who shot him ? '' Human rights groups say around 80 people were killed during Iran 's 2009 post-election protests , while Iran 's government puts the number at about half of that . While Iran has charged prison officials with torturing to death some of those detained after the demonstrations , no one has been charged in any of the deaths during the protests . Authorities in Iran have told CNN they are investigating the deaths , but the Ramezanis say they are losing hope . Every Friday morning the Ramezanis visit Tehran 's main cemetery where their son 's gravesite sits just steps away from Neda Agha Soltan 's . Ramin 's parents say they do n't want the attention Neda is getting . All they want is someone to tell them who killed these two young Iranians and why . `` A good and ideal government is for everyone , even those who oppose it , '' said Zahra Ramezani . `` If they consider themselves servants of Iran , then they owe us something . ''