The 345th Session of Memory Night-5

Adjusted by Leyla Rostami
Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2023-12-29

The 345th session of memory night was held in Revagh-e Shahadat (portico of martyrdom) (campus of the Artistic Sect of Islamic Republic of Iran) on Thursday, April 27, 2023. In this session, Brigadier Dr. Nasrollah Ezzati, Nezam Ali Salehi, and Second Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Fuladi shared their memories. The narrators told the memories of the first group of Imam Ali Officer’s Academy students sent to the operational areas of Holy Defense in 1980 commanded by Martyr Major General Namjoo. Davood Salehi was presenter of the session. The body of an Assyrian newly-discovered martyr named “Johnny Bet Oshana”, one of the martyrs of Iranian religious minorities, was special guest of this memory night.

At the beginning of his speech, the third narrator of the session, Brigadier General Fuladi said, “Islamic Republic of Iran Army Day as the anti-enemy army was in this week. In this day, April 18 (the seventh day of Ordibehesht), 93 fighters of AJA died a martyr during the eight years of Sacred Defense and 719 martyrs during all the week. The beginning of this week marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of the first martyr of assassination in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Lieutenant General Sayyed Mohammad Vali Qarani. I describe this martyr as a revolutionary before the revolution. Martyr Lieutenant General Qarani was the head of the Second Bureau of Imperial Iranian Army in 1957 with the rank of major general. When he approached the court, he got to know what was going on in the court of the Pahlavi regime. He saw that the court itself was origin of corruption in the country. He arranged a coup against the regime, which unfortunately was leaked and he was arrested. He was sentenced to three years in prison and dismissed from the army.

Qarani met the leaders of the movement during his prison term. He came out of prison in 1960 and continued his revolutionary activities. He continued his connections with Ayatollah Milani, Ayatollah Taleghani, and Shahid Motahhari. He was arrested again in 1963 and was in prison for three years until 1967. After his release, during those 11 years before the revolution, he was under strict control by SAVAK. He became a member of the Revolutionary Council by order of Imam Khomeini. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, ordered by Imam, he became the first Chief of Army Staff on February 12, 1979. He was so effective in this position that the enemy could not tolerate him and they insisted Mr. Bazargan so that he finally forced Martyr Qarani to resign. When he did not accept the resignation, Bazargan consulted with Imam. Anyway, he accepted his resignation. Despite the fact that he had resigned, on March 26, 1979, Forqan Group, which was the military branch of the same organization of the anti-people hypocrites, killed him and he achieved the high position of martyrdom. In this way, he became the first martyr of assassination in the system of Islamic Republic of Iran.

The narrator continued, the week was started with this noble martyr and tomorrow, which is end of this week, will be the anniversary of the martyrdom of Shirudi. Martyr Shirudi was also born on January, 1956 in Bala Shirud village of Tonekabon. A martyr who during his youth followed morals like Mirza Kuchak Khan’s morals. His Islamic morals and chivalrous behavior were signs of General Mirza kuchak Khan Jangali. He joined Aerospace Force in 1974 and was one of the core of the campaigns before the revolution. During the revolution, he led the revolutionary committees in Kermanshah.

Martyr Shirudi's struggles during the revolution against the counter-revolution and then during the sacred defense period were such that Martyr Falahi gave him the title of the savior of the West and the conqueror of the Kurdistan gorges. Martyr Chamran called him the shining star of Kurdistan battle. The late Ayatollah Rafsanjani said that I saw the grandeur, courage, bravery, and influence of speech of Malik [al-Ashtar] in the awe of Martyr Shirudi. The Supreme Leader also stated about Martyr Shirudi that the first soldier whom I imitated was Martyr Shirudi, and I called him an ideological, believer, and fighter in the path of God.

It is worth to mention the martyr pilots of Aerospace Force, martyrs Shirudi, Keshvari, Soheilian, and Shemshadian. These four pilots stopped two Iraqi armies in the Sarpol-e Zahab in the western region of the country, and did not let them achieve their goals. Martyr Shirudi joined manfully and heartily in Operation Bazideraz, which started on April 22, 1981. Finally, on 4/28/1981, he died a martyr in the same Operation Bazideraz. Martyr Shirudi was the one who did not accept to be promoted to senior ranks. He said, “We are fighting for revival of Islam and preservation of the Islamic country not for rank. His comrades say that he had 360 narrow escapes. Missiles and bullets targeted his helicopter, but they did not hit him. He had had a dream about Martyr Keshvari when Martyr Keshvari had told him that I have selected a big mansion for you. I am waiting for you, come.

This noble martyr wrote in his will that in flight I have the state of a lover who flies towards his beloved. I am like this when I fly and I am sad when I return from the mission; because I feel I have not yet been purified and I have not achieved martyrdom. Anyway, he achieved his dream on Apriol 28, 1981. Every year, in his memory and name, a very magnificent ceremony is held in Bazideraz region of Kermanshah.

The narrator then made a brief introduction about the special guest of the session, namely the recently investigated Assyrian martyr Jani Bet Oshana and said, “This martyr was a soldier of the 3rd company of the 158th battalion of Shiraz’s the 55th Airborne Brigade. He was less than 20 years old at the time of his martyrdom. In the same Operation Badr in 1984, before going to the operation, he was in a hole that we as military forces call a pit hole (in Persian: chale hafrgahi). A small hole in which he hid to save his life and was prepared to attack the enemy. He picks up a pen there and writes these lines and this will remain in the history. A zealous and loving soldier who his comrades, who are narrating their memories today, say about him, “He was a conscientious soldier, interested in his country, and a zealous and warm-blooded one. He was a soldier who was asked to stay among the remainder and not send him to the front line; But he said, “I have come to join the army to fight. I am not here to sit back and watch and watch. He participated in the front lines. About 17-18 months have passed since his military service. His family, his comrades, and the holy system of the Islamic Revolution were all satisfied with him.

The Supreme Leader said in one sentence that Christians, both Armenians and Assyrians, were proud in the revolution and the holy defense and did their duty well. We are grateful for all this today. Appreciator of all monotheistic religions, including religious minorities, Zoroastrians, Christians, and Persian Jews. 133 martyrs from these monotheistic religions were in the Islamic Republic of Iran Army.

The good ending of the lecture of the third narrator was to read parts of his will to the audience:

In the name of Allah

My family, dearer than my life

When you have these papers in your hand, I hope you will be well, and together you will have the happy life that I always had in mind, and benefit from the favors of the one God, Jesus Christ, and Mary, who are the only protectors of Christians, especially our family. I am writing these lines to you in the moments before moving toward the aggressor enemy to reclaim the rights and territory of our country, and the reason that my handwriting is not good is because I am sitting inside a small hole with one other person, protecting ourselves from the attack of Iraqi warplanes. I wanted to write a few words for you so that I don't meet God without saying something in my heart.

My dear and beloved father, who always tried to provide a good and blessed life for us, I want to thank you for all your efforts and apologize for the requests I made to you sometimes. If I asked for something, it was out of ignorance and keeping up with the joneses; otherwise, I did not intend to hurt you, perish the thought. Here I wish you success in your work and profession to live better and organize your home and family that are supported by you.

And as for my sweet mother, I don't know what to write to you. Believe me, I have always tried to appreciate not only your efforts but also my father's, but it didn't happen. This damn war did not let. Mother, at this moment, I miss you so much because I am sitting on a dirt surface and in front of my eyes, I imagine a moment when you used to come near to me to keep me warm and abnegate your sleep. I wish you were here at this moment so that I could hold your loving hands and give you lots of kisses. Try to show more love to my father and don't neglect him for a moment because [in] the moments of old age you are the only friend and helper of my kind and loving father... I am sure that from this moment on, my soul will be happy and blessed. That will be realized with your prayers. Please don't complain and moan too much because I don't deserve your kindness.

Your beloved son, 1985/03/12