The Cypress of Qumis

Narrated by Mehdi Mahdavinejad

Written by Mahya Hafezi
Translated by Kianoush Borzouei

2024-10-21

The late Mehdi Mahdavinejad was one of the prominent commanders during the Sacred Defense and a founding member of the 12th Qaem Brigade of Semnan Province. His illustrious military record includes commanding the 18th Al-Ghadir Brigade, the 30th Quds Division of Gilan, and the 17th Ali ibn Abi Talib Division. The book The Cypress of Qumis^[1] comprises 14 interview sessions with him.

The book’s cover design follows the same template as other oral histories of the Sacred Defense, published by the Center for Sacred Defense Documents and Research, with only the title and cover color differing. It opens with a preface from the publisher, followed by a brief introduction by Hossein Ali Ehsani, the book's interviewer and researcher. The interviewer’s questions have not been omitted, maintaining the integrity of the conversations.

In the first session, the narrator discusses his birthplace, family, and significant events from his childhood through his military service. The second session delves into his time in the "Literacy Corps" and his eventual employment in the Ministry of Education, culminating in his membership in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Semnan. His dispatch to Takab and Kamyaran to combat counter-revolutionary forces, followed by his deployment to Gilan Gharb to confront the Ba'athist army, are the central topics of the third session.

During the fourth session, the narrator outlines his responsibilities within the Basij of Sorkheh, commanding a battalion sent to the western front, and his roles in the 17th Ali ibn Abi Talib Division. Sessions five through eight cover the narrator’s and his battalion’s actions during Operation Valfajr-4, Operation Kheibar, the 17th Division’s presence in Mahabad, followed by Operation Badr, changes in combat organization, and Operations Valfajr-8 and Karbala-1.

In the ninth session, the narrator elaborates on the formation of the 12th Qaem Brigade and its preparation and participation in Operation Karbala-4. The tenth session reviews the brigade’s performance in Operation Karbala-5 and its defense against the enemy’s offensive on the western flank of Majnoon Island.

Sessions eleven and twelve revolve around the Qaem Brigade’s missions on the northwest front and its participation in Operations Nasr-8, Beit al-Moqaddas-2, Beit al-Moqaddas-3, and Beit al-Moqaddas-6. The thirteenth session discusses the acceptance of UN Security Council Resolution 598 and Operation Mersad.

The final session highlights the narrator's responsibilities and actions after the Sacred Defense era. It appears that there was an intention to conduct another session to discuss his role in the 17th Ali ibn Abi Talib Division, the distinct religious and political characteristics of Qom Province, and his management approach and other duties. However, fate did not allow it. Consequently, a summary of his remaining actions and other responsibilities is provided by Commander Ali Ostadhosseini at the end of the interviews.

The book concludes with photographs and an index. Throughout the text, images of individuals and operational maps are included, accompanied by captions. The final photographs and maps are printed in color.

The first edition of The Narration of Mehdi Mahdavinejad: The Cypress of Qumis, spanning 480 pages with a print run of 1,000 copies, was published in 2023 by the Center for Sacred Defense Documents and Research, priced at 185,000 Tomans.