The Memories Were Said and Listened During 1395 SH (2016-17)

Eleven Congresses That "Memory Night" through Them Became 25th

Adjusted by: Maryam Asadi Jafari
According to reports of Sara Reshadizadeh and Maryam Rajabi
Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2017-4-10

Reported by Iran Oral History Website, series of memory night sessions that its 24^th years of holding it lasted, are results of effort of Center for studies and Research of stability culture and literature, and Office of Resistance Literature and Art of Hozeh Honari. Those who are Interested in listening memories of Revolution and Sacred Defense, since 1371 SH (1992) until end of 1395 SH (2016) and during 277 memory nights have been guests of the session and a large number of revolutionary fighters, warriors and commanders of Sacred Defense, have narrated their memories and observations before eyes of audiences. Now that we are approaching Nowruz of 1396 SH and are waiting for starting of series of memory night meetings in the New Year, we will have an overview of eleven sessions of the program in 1395 SH (2016-17).

Remembering First Martyr of Shrine Defenders from Abadan

First memory night of 1395 SH was held in April 21, 2016. The session subject was narrating memories about Saeed Sayyah Taheri, martyr of shrine defender, and appreciating him. Sardar Ali Akbar Poorjamshidi, former commander of East Azerbaijan's Devision Ashura and comrades of the martyr Sayyah Taheri, Hedieh Ghobeishi, wife of the martyr and Seyyede Zahra Hosseini, narrator of "Da" were memory tellers of the meeting.

Poorjamshidi introduced Sayyah Taheri as first martyr of shrine defender from Abad and said: "while he was veteran 70 percent and could sit at his home, but he did not tolerate. He was a commander, fighter and expert of armor-piercing and missile weapons. We saw impact of his service in Lebanon and 33-days war. His presence in fronts of Iraq and Syria encouraged and amazed people of these areas."

Hedieh Ghobeishi, wife of martyr Sayyah Taheri, narrated last trip with him and story of hearing news of his martyrdom and she added: "For funeral of Haj Saeed, eight adieus and funerals were held in Tehran and Abadan. Finally, his body rested in Abadan's Rose-Garden of Martyrs." Then the narrator of "Da" stated: "martyr Saeed Sayyah Taheri was innovator of student festival of Sacred Defense film. The first festival was held in Khuzestan in 2009 (1388 SH)."

Memory Night of "Parliaments"

Hozeh Honari was host of 268^th memory night in May 26, 2016. The seminar was third memory night of representatives of Islamic Consultative Assembly which was held in cooperation with parliament's faction of Sacred Defense. Hojatoleslam Gholamreza Mesbahi Moghadam, Laleh Eftekhari and Hojatoleslam Seyyed Mehdi Moosavinezhad and others express their memories of the Islamic Revolution and Sacred Defense.

Hojatoleslam Mesbahi Moghadam extolled martyr clergy of the revolution, Ali Awsati. Then he said memories of revolutionary struggles in Gachsaran, Cinema Rex fire incident, days of January 07, 08 and 09, 1978 in Qom and Sacred Defense.

Firouz Ahmadi, one of warriors of Sacred Defense also narrated memories of Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas and said: "after three days that we had participated in Operation, a tank shell stroke at our pillar and a quiver hit my stomach and I was thrown. Later that I came back, due to physical deterioration, doctors had lost their hope, but I was at Sorkhe Hesar Hospital that I heard news of liberation of Khorramshahr and got new energy and seven months later I was improved and prepared Operation Before the Dawn."

At the end of the memory night, memories, "Delbari" Movie, directed and written by Seyyed Jalal Dehghani Ashkezari, was displayed.

Reviewing Memories of Summer Battles

The first memory night of summer 1395 SH was held by memory telling of Brigadier General Khosrow Orouj, advisor to the commander in chief of IRGC, Mosa Sedqi, Mehdi Ramezani and Asghar Naghizadeh, Warriors of Sacred Defense.

Sedqi who had been present in Operation Karbala-1, July 1986, said: "one of fighters who was driving loader due to striking quiver of tank shell and blast of its explosion was martyred just the same place. At the same time I saw a 16-year-old boy was running away and brought the corpse down and start working with the loader."

Ramezani express his memories of Komeil canal, and then Brigadier General Orouj stated memories of beginning and end of imposed war of Saddam's army against Iran: "it was morning of Operation Mersad that we saw Monafeq forces attacked embankment and we encountered them. Later when we captured them, one of them showed me a pill and said that the pill empowers us and that's why we attacked embankments and it had encouraged us. I want to say that they, opposite of our forces, did not have courage or belief, and only through help of pills and other industries had become strong and had intended to attack."

At the end of 269^th memory night, "Standing in the Dust" movie directed and written by Mohammad Hossein Mahdavian was displayed.

Moses Is Vanguard and Neil Is at the Front...

270^th memory night was held with speech of Mohammadreza Jafari, one of warriors of 10^th Seyyed Ol-Shohada Division, and Abdolreza Tarazi, Portable Transceiver officer of 27th Mohammad Rasulullah Division in July 28, 2016.

Jafari who was in destruction unit in Operation Dawn-8, stated in part of his detailed memories that in a stage of the operation "we had to signal in order to boats sail at the other side of the river. At the same time, in all of opposite shore and through speakers that were installed there, a sound was broadcast by Doctor Hessamoddin Seraj, "Moses Is Vanguard and Neil Is at the Front". Goal of turning the speaker on by Iranian forces was that sound of boat motors not to be heard by Iraqi forces across the river, because due to the fact that each boat only holds 12 people and for replacing every battalion it was required at least 80 boats that their sailing at across of Arvand Rud created a lot of noise."

Tarazi, was other guests of this memory night and narrated on his first appearance in the war fronts.

A Memory of Volleyball Game

Hozeh Honari hosted 271th sessions of series of memory nights that Abdolreza Tarazi, Portable Transceiver officer of 27th Mohammad Rasulullah Division during Sacred Defense years, expressed his memories for the consecutive second time. As well as, Rahim Ghomeishi, a freedman of eight years of Sacred Defense, restated some memories.

Tarazi pointed out a memory of fronts of the sacred defense and about Haj Ahmad Motevaselian and added: "Most of days, when it was approaching evening, the guys gathered together and played volleyball. One day we saw around play area gathered a lot of viewers, when I asked others what's happen, they answered brigade commander is playing, after asking I found out that they meant the brigade commander Ahmad Motevaselian. That day was the first time that I saw Ahmad Motevaselian and was interesting for me that commander of the brigade, without arrogance, was playing alongside others with bare feet and dusty shirts."

Rahim Ghomeishi, who was dispatched battle fronts since first days of Sacred Defense voluntarily and formal membership in IRGC, expressed memories: "I had a friend called Mansour Shakerian during the imposed war that died a martyr. He was officer of our telecommunication and since problem of being cut wires at nights was a troublesome problem, it was intended every night something went wrong, Mansour go with a bunch of new wires and replace them. One night we slept in trench and were awakened due to shrill of night guard called Mohammadreza Azadi. Mohammadreza insisted that he had seen genie and we could not relax him. After a short time, we understood that Mansour was not in the trench. As we suspected absence of Mansour, we realized he, while wearing a bunch of wire around his head, for joking, had frightened night guard."

West Battles in View of Memory Night

Memory night of September 2016 and 272th session was held in the first day of autumn. Colonel Ali Yousefi, commander of Al-Hadid Brigade of 28^th Ruhollah Division, Sardar (Brigadier General) Bahram Norouzi and Sardar Seyyed Mojtaba Abdollahi, commander of 28^th Ruhollah Division expressed their memories of south and west fronts, and especially Operation Mersad.

Yousefi said: "once we were in logistics unit that we saw some almonds had been reached at rear in form of donations. But what was interesting was that tips of all almonds had been peeled. After investigation we found out that an old woman had sent almonds and in order to warriors not to reach any bitter almond, peeled tips of all of them by hand and had tried them."

Nowruzi that a few days before starting Operation Mersad, had organized three operational battalions in cities of Marivan, Baneh and Halabja through forming specific brigade of Shohada, and had sent two of his own battalions to Kermanshah commanded by Nasser Shabani, current commander of Kermanshah IRGC, noted: "after ending Operation Mersad we addressed Kerend-e Gharb and Islamabad axes in order to finding Monafeqin. During the stopping and inspection we encountered a man named Behzad Golbarg. Behzad Golbarg in 1981 (1360 SH) by exploding two grenades had killed seminary officer of Kermanshah that he, at the same time, had been arrested and transferred to Kermanshah prison, but next year he had escaped from prison. During Operation Mersad, Behzad Golbard was arrested and during interrogation he admitted that he had been hidden under water through straw and then had fled Iraq."

Abdullahi also narrated a memory of west fronts and said: "I remember when they seized Sumar and heights 402 all forces announced their readiness to release it. At that time, there were two 15-year-old teenagers named Ali Moghasemi and Mohsen Shakoori attended whom I had told them not to come to the front line. We went Sumar alongside Muslim ibn Aqeel brigade commanded by Haj Abdullah Beheshti in order to capturing the city. When we got to the area, ambulance driver told us that two people were sitting on the roof of the ambulance and when we went for investigating we found out that they are the same two teenagers who came to front line forcibly. In the same operation, the two teenagers were our first martyrs."

Memory Night of Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force

273th session of memory night program was endured through memory telling of pilots Mohammad Sediq Qaderi, Mostafa Nematollahi and Mahmoud zarabi on air operations in October 27, 2016.

Qaderi said about Iraq's imposed war against Iran: " I had gone Karaj for preliminary agreement of an apartment in September 22, 1980 home, it was around three o'clock in the afternoon that I looked at sky and said: These are Iraq aircrafts, the war was started. At the time I turned on radio and broadcasting siren I found out that my guess was correct. I dismounted my family around Azadi Square and told that go back home, I must return to the base. When I entered the base, I stated that I have come for serving and after ending the war, I will leave the base."

Nematollahi also as one of narrators of air battles, referring to role of air transport in Sacred Defense he said: "We undertook air transport. For example, in Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas, which was one of most famous of our operations, moved with a quadruple capacity toward front line and finally we could send six thousand troops to the front line during eight hours. After that we dispatched injured to different cities."

Then zarabi expressed his memories of early days of the war and said: "at the time we attended in Operation Morvarid from air base of Bushehr in which people like martyr Abbas Dowran, Hossein Khalatbari, Moftakheri, Manouchehr Mohagheghi, Reza Saeedi, Reza Asgari and many other great men attended and during two weeks, we destroyed Iraq Navy alongside 10 Iraqi small battleships."

Memories Made of Freedom

274th memory night was held through memory telling of Mohammad Majidi, Mohammad Ebrahim Behzadpur and Amir Hossein Hojat on years of Sacred Defense in November 24, 2016.

Majidi, a Malayeri warrior and freedman said: "Four of the camp prisoners, wrote names of all of prisoners in margin of blanket and went near the border. But they were arrested at the border. It lasted four days since escape till return of the four people and they hit us all the four days. Because it was camp of Basij, due to scare others stiff, they hit so bad."

Behzadpur also spoke about Operation Dawn-8 and added: "One of our troops when come out of canal, a ballet was shot toward his heart, but it did not hit his heart. His eyes became death-like and were bleeding, as I thought he was dying a martyr. After a while, he was had still some energy and got up to leave and re-engage. Battalion commander said: please come back till you are well. But the soldier said you told me come to the front, now do you say go back? Imam told me come to the front I'll stay too till last moment of my life."

Amir Hossein Hojjat, documentary filmmaker, was last memory teller of the memory night. "An old man, known as Baba Noori was father of 20th independent brigade of Ramadan. When new forces came to our brigade, Baba Noori as the old man of the brigade told them: read Āyat al-Kursī‎ (Al-Baqara 255(, nothing happens for you, families of a lot of you are waiting for you. It became a question for me and I repeatedly asked Baba about the story of Āyat al-Kursī. One day he said, "Look me kid! I promised my God, I had a request, I did not tell anyone, just say to you and I am not happy to tell anyone. Since first days of the war, I'm in front and asked God to be alive until end of the war, but do not return after the war too."

Hojjat explained abut Baba Noori Martyrdom too: "It was very hot and a harassment operation. After three days and nights the guys were unconscious. At a morning Mr. Sharifi asked: why Baba did not wake us for prayer? Go to find Baba. One of the guys called us and we saw, on a hill, facing the Qibla and in sajda (prostration) mood, was died a martyr by a quiver which had emptied forehead of his skull."

Yaldā of the War Memories in Remembrance of Behnam Mohammadi

Hozeh Honari hosted 275^th session of series of memory night with speeches of Mehdi Rafiee, Wahab Khateri and Seyyed Saleh Mousavi who narrated memories of martyr Behnam Mohmmadirad, a thirteen teen from Khorramshahr in the evening of December 22, 2016.

At first documentary film of "A Guy from Here" was displayed which was about life of the martyr. Then Rafiee said that he wrote story of Behnam titled "28^th Day" to be published in an Italian journal. Khateri stated also one of his memories of Khorramshahr: "it was evening, time of prayer. I had sat next to Reza Dashti. Reza said: it is time of prayer, let's do it in jama‘ah form. A few friends opposed, because it wasn't possible militarily to gather all the guys. If a shell stroke at line of the guys, all were killed. It was decided that everyone wants to pray in congregation and everyone wants to do it individually. Chaplain was also martyr Haghighi who died a martyr next day. In front row, I was standing next to window that during praying a shell stroke at the window and its blasting wave came in and shook me completely. After praying, the opposition friends protested. Reza always had a mood that answered after a short pause. He said: Do you know why I decided to read congregational prayer? I worried that the guy's fear overcomes their school and belief. I wanted practice this and to know God helps too. You noted that it was last shell, and then it was stopped."

Seyyed Saleh Mousavi also restated story of October 02, 1980 in Khorramshahr who they fought against Iraqi tanks: "I saw Behnam Mohammadi is running through all those of fires from side of boulevard, Mohammad Noorani from the other side. Two Iranians were engaged at corner of storeroom. When I saw Behnam at that age I rose up. I went toward the square and shot while I was telling Allahu akbar (God is Great). Mohammad Noorani and the guys were launching grenade over the wall into tanks. Those Iraqis who survived, fled ..."

"Ba Navaye Karevan (to the tune of Caravan)"from Sacred Defense to Syria

276^th (10^th of the last year) meeting of series of memory night was held January 26, 2017 and Mehdi Ramezani Alavi, Mashallah Shahmoradizadeh and Mohammad Sadegh Koushki expressed their own memories.

Ramezani, Disabled veteran and freedman, told memories of his captivity and said that despite many difficulties created by the enemy, "we had 400 people Hafizes of Quran and Nahj al-Balagha and those who had memorized Mafatih al-Janan."

Shahmradyzadh, actor and director, also said humorous memories of the war and added: "Once they took us from Saqqez to Marivan. They took us to a school and brought a thermos of tea with a sugar box, but there was not a cup to drink tea. So everyone found something to drink tea with it. I also found a plastic ball and split it to use half of it as a glass, but when I came back I saw there was a very long queue for tea. Frightening that maybe the tea would be finished, I went one step toward the queue and started loudly singing song of "Chaei Chaei" and as I was singing was moving front so that finally I arrived ahead of the queue and receipt tea and went. After that my song of "Chaei Chaei" became famous and the guys continuously wanted me to sing it and because I was short-tempered to sing it, I avoided. At the end, once I was in good mood and accepted to sing it, they intended record my voice so that no longer they insist me to listen it again. They recorded my voice on tape of Mr. Ahangaran. A day when I broadcasted song of Mr. Ahangaran in Maragheh through advertising speaker of the army and I, relax and calm, went to play football, suddenly voice of Mr. Ahangaran was stopped and began my song Chaei Chaei. During time that I got recorder and I paused the song, it had been broadcasted completely."

The third narrator of the session, Mohammad Sadegh Koushki, recounted memories of Revolution, Sacred Defense and his travel to Syria. He told: "a mellow old man was with Hezbollah guys that when he realized that I was Iranian started mourning "ba navaye karevan (to the tune of Caravan)" by Mr. Ahangaran. I asked about the action, he said: when you were fighting, we loved Ahangaran a lot and found in different ways his mournful songs and song them as much as that we could sing it similar to his accent and at the time he sang it in honor of Iranian guys who were there."

After this narrating reminiscence, documentary of "Time in the story of Monsieur Setboun" was broadcasted. The documentary narrates the story of a Frenchman photograph named Michel Setboun that after 36 years returns Iran. The famous photo of Imam Khomeini (RA) under an apple tree in Neauphle-le-Château was taken by him.

Memory Night of Operation Dawn-8

The last session of series of memory nights was held in Sooreh Hall of Hozeh Honari in the evening February 23, 2017. In the meeting, Mostafa Karimpanah, Ahmad Qasemibayan and Reza Safarzadeh expressed their memories of Operation Dawn-8.

Karimpanah said: "A night, the current commander of the brigade, Haj Yaddolah Kalhor asked us to go occupied positions by the enemy and to detect there exactly and determine closely where are there and how is situation. We were four, I, Jafar Hagh, Nasser Davari and martyr Jariri had been obliged to do it. All of them died a martyr. It was decided among us, a two-man team go to detecting and a two-man team to watching. It was supposed I go to detection and I did not want Jafar, because his leg had been amputated, to come with me. I volunteered to go alone, but Jafar insisted that to come and I finally accepted. In the swamp we walked a little, but Jafar dropped behind; he had a good stamina, but his artificial leg was bogged and peeled. I asked him several time to sit there so that I go and come back, but he did not accept. Finally Jafar hiked his trousers up above his knees and loosened his artificial leg's strap. In every step, he extracted with his hands his artificial leg from mud and took a step forward. We had to go about 9 km despite the difficulties with Jafar to detecting enemy positions. In short, with all difficulties, we did our task and delivered the report. Next morning, when I entered trench, I felt Jafar concealed me something and veiled himself by blanket; first I thought who was wounded or was struck by a quiver, but when insistently I blanket I saw the amputated leg was very infected due to chemical material and was bleeding and before my arrival, Jafar was bandaging his leg and cleaning the artificial leg.  Last day, Jafar had walked with me 8 km in the swamp and returned by the leg. Jafar died a martyr in Operation Karbala-1 a few months later."

Qasemibayan also talked about style of preparing for diving and doing it in the operation and Safarzadeh stated that how some waterproof Portable Transceivers became provide and ready for the operation.

So far, 277 sessions of memory nights were held by Hozeh Honari's Center for studies and Research of stability culture and literature. The next session will be held in April 27, 2017.