Abdolreza Tarazi spoke of important operations and martyr Dastvareh

Wireless and magic box of codes and passwords carrying ambulance

Sarah Reshadi Zadeh
Translated by Natalie Haghverdian

2016-8-8

Story of Iraqi imposed war against Iran from wireless operators’ point of view opens a new window to the audience.Wireless operators as the closest to the commanders and guardians of operations codes are members of sensitive forces whose presence directly affected the operation. Abdolreza Tarazi, wireless operator of 27 Rasoul Ollah Division who participated in Badr, Kheibar, and Valfajr 8 and many other operations during 8 years of Holy Defense talks about his memories of the operations accompanying commanders with Iran Oral History Site.

Talk about yourself and how you ended up in the battlefield?

My name is Abdolreza Tarazi born in 21 March 1966. I wasn’t legal age when Iraq imposed war against Iran started and mosque mobilized forces didn’t let me to join the fronts. At the time the mobilized forces of couple of mosques were supervised by one mosque which was the base and once our local mosque turned me down I decided to apply through the base. They didn’t let me in but I didn’t give up and referred to Malek Ashtar base in Khavaran Street and stood in the queue to figure what documents are needed.

Once I figured that out I set out to prepare required documents and since I knew my age will be problem again, I tampered my age in my identification card but I made a mistake and instead of making my age to show me older I wrote myself a couple of years younger. Eventually, when I handed over my documents I grabbed my identification card quickly from the officer in charge since I wasn’t sure about my calculation and it was when I figured that I’ve changed my age only in numbers and the written age is not changed.

Finally, I went back two days later and handed my documents and I was waiting to the sent to an army base to be trained to use weapon. I hadn’t even touched one. I waited and then I asked the deployment officer: “which base will I go to?” He said: “You are going to the front but I don’t know which region.”

Person in the Middle: Abdolreza Tarazi

I was confused but I didn’t ask many questions since I was afraid that they will figure what I’ve done with my ID. Standing on the hallway I was reading the deployment form of others and I figured that the officer has made a mistake and without considering that I’m not trained is sending me off to the fronts. It was what I wanted; to get there as soon as possible. I told my friends in local mobilized forces but they didn’t believe me. On the day that I reported for duty my friends came along and they were insisting that they will tell the authorities. In Malek Ashtar base, once I realized that my friends are serious about their decision I hide in the bathroom until it was announced that the buses are leaving.

When we were waiting to get into the bus, my name was the last to be announced and stress was really killing me. I got into the bus and sat in a position that my face wouldn’t be easily seen.

Once you were sure that you are going to the fronts, where did you end up?

We moved towards southern fronts. On our way to Khuzestan, I rode the train for the first time and I have interesting memories in my trip to Ahwaz. I was sitting in the cart and there were other soldiers who were deployed for the second time. I was sitting there in silence listening to them when one of them asked: “where did you serve?” I had no answer; I had heard the name “Do Kuheh” so I said: “I was in Do Kuheh.” They said: “But it is not a front. Which region were you?” I tried to change the subject and left the cart quickly to avoid any further question. I killed some time in the passage ways of the train; however I forgot to check my cart number and I had to check the train all over to find my seat. Once I returned the soldiers there were worried about my long absence and they asked: “Where were you?” I responded: “I saw one of my fellow soldiers and had a walk down the memory lane.”

Where you deployed to the fronts from Ahwaz directly?

No! once we go to Khuzestan, we first went to Ahwaz and then to Omidieh and we stayed there for a week. It was a Friday that they announced that we have to join Friday Prayer and then return to receive artillery and move to the fronts. I hadn’t been to any Friday Prayer and I arrived late and was standing in the back and I didn’t know the rituals and made so many mistakes and I was very embarrassed that before it was over I grabbed my boots and ran off.

Then they took us to a garden and handed us the weapons. It was beginning of the war and the artillery was brand new. We had to dismantle and assemble the weapons and fire a test shot to make sure the weapon is not broken.

I hadn’t touched any weapon till then I looked at others to learn how to dismantle it but I couldn’t assemble it again. I told another soldier: “I think something is wrong with this weapon.” Once he got it from me I hide behind the trees and watched to see how he does it. Once it was over I came out of hiding and said: “I returned quickly to help you.” The same day we were deployed to the fronts.

What is your first memory of the battlefield? How did you see it?

We boarded on a Nissan pickup and started our way towards the defense line. The height of the pickup was more than the bulwark and there was a trail of dust behind the vehicle and the enemy attacked us. I wasn’t familiar with such situations and I was injured in my left wrist by a quiver and I was transferred to the infirmary but it was not serious and I returned to the fronts.

Tell us more about defense line; how did it feel for an adolescent under the legal age?

I was there for three months in the defense force. At the time, I used to fire my gun while on night post. I wanted to enjoy the experience; then my superior warned me about it since it would indicate the base to the enemy.

There were grenades in monitoring trench and I liked to experience it but I was afraid. One night I detonated one of them but I threw it in a direction that in case of inspection the guard of the other trench would be guilty.

How was your first interaction with Iraqi forces; how did it fee?

It was the beginning of war and the front lines of Iran and Iraq were not that far apart and only a couple lines of barbed wires and mines defined the distance between. A while after, Fath Olmobin operation was designed and we were supposed to dig a tunnel towards Ba’athist forces. Every night, a group of soldiers were deployed to work on the tunnel. We had guards to protect the tunnel from Iraqi cruisers. My first experience was as a guard and I fell asleep and it was so dark the soldier next to me didn’t realize it. After a while he asked: “Did you hear something:” without opening my eyes I said no and slept again. When I opened my eyes again, 4 or 5 Iraqi soldiers were walking towards us. I was so scared that I couldn’t talk and warn the soldier serving with me. Anyway I managed to warn him and we lay down in the stream we were hiding. We moved back together and warned the others about approaching enemy forces. This was my first encounter.

Fath Olmobin was your first experience; you must have interesting memories, tell us about it?

The night of the operation we had to cross Karkheh Bridge. They had made mobile bridges on the river and once we made it to the other side, Iraqi forces realized that we are moving towards them and opened fire. The fire exchange started and it was so heavy that I was lying there scared and didn’t fire a bullet and I was hoping I can dig deeper in the earth.

A wireless operator passing by was shot dead. I grabbed the wireless unit and I was shouting: “the operator is martyred.” I didn’t know that I had to press the button to be able to communicate and no one could hear me. One of the soldiers standing nearby who was wounded said: “You have to press the button to communicate” and then he took the communication head set and spoke to the front line. Soldiers were moving forward and I was lying there scared and I was upset. I decided to stand up and move forwards with the others. Once I reached the Iraqi trench our forces had already liberated it.

Iraqi bulwarks had two layers; I mean it was wide and there was a tunnel and soldiers could pass without being seen. I thought I can make it to the bottom of the bulwark by jumping but I got trapped in between.

What happened after onrush towards Iraqi bulwarks?

Once the sun was up it was defense time. Iraqi forces were trying to liberate the lands they had lost and Iranian forces were trying to defend their position. They gave me two big Iraqi hostages to move them back.

Was it your first experience with Iraqi hostages….

Yes! I decided to return from the same route we had moved forward. At the time most of the forces had made it to the bulwark and the return route was empty; there were lots of wounded soldiers, martyrs lying there and weapons and artillery. I was walking in front of them and none of them had even thought that they could grab a weapon and escape. One soldier approached me and said: “why are you walking in front of them? You are not their hostage.” I realized my mistake and forced them to move forward. I moved them towards Karkheh and we had to move to the other side by moving bridges.

The moving bridge was narrow and once we were standing on it one hostage fell into the river. The stream was very strong and despite his physical power he had grabbed the bridge and begging me to help him and he was saying: “For the sake of Khomeini.” The second hostage was scared and just standing there. I was inexperienced so I held my weapon toward him to pull him off the stream but I fell in instead. Anyway, our forces figured what was happening and came to rescue. I delivered them and returned to the bulwark.

Once I got there I was soaked and cold. I moved into one trench and changed into an Iraqi uniform and then started walking around not knowing that the enemy might fire grenade to clean the trench. Once I went out of the trench the forces warned me that with that outfit I might be mistaken with enemy forces.

You were constantly moving between Tehran and the fronts and you had active presence in the fronts?

I was moving back and forth. After my first tour and while I returned to Tehran, for two months, I served as guards to urban infrastructures protecting significant bases in Tehran and served in Iran Broadcast Organization. At the time, Tudeh Party was active in the broadcast organization and there were no live program and we used to supervise the programs. They told us that if we remain in the organization we will be recruited later; however, despite all available facilities, 45 days later I realized I can’t stay there any longer and requested to be deployed.

In your other tours, were you sent to the same front?

In my next tour I went to Kurdistan. At the time, the situation in Kurdistan was very difficult and some forces would refuse to go there. They were interested in fronts in west and south. In Kurdistan we had to prepare our food and with a limited ration we had to spend long days. Also, in south and west the enemy was in a defined position but in Kurdistan it was hard to say where they were approaching from. We didn’t know if they were Kumeleh and democrat forces or local and native forces. There months there I gathered a lot of experience and then I joint Valfajr preliminary phase operation.

From right: Martyr Reza Dastvareh, Abdolreza Tarazi

Wireless operators were moving along commanders. You were with Commander Martyr Reza Dastvareh ….

In 1984, I was appointed as officer recruit of 27 Rasoul Ollah Division and I decided to join communication department and I remained with the same department till the end of the war. Communication forces of the division were in contact with commanders and communicated trench and force stand points with them.  In Valfajr 8, it was the first time that I accompanied Martyr Reza Dastvareh. Prior to the operation, Haj Hossein Beheshti said: “B prepared and once a wireless unit is broken, provide them with another unit.” Once the operation started, they told me: “Accompany Reza Dastvareh.” I grabbed a PRC 77 wireless unit along with the codes and moved with him. We easily crossed Arvand River. Reza Dastvareh was commander in charge. I was moving shoulder to shoulder with him and despite the fact that the commander remains in the back but he was moving forward and since I was moving along with him, he was satisfied with my services.

How was Martyr Dastvareh?

Martyr Dastvareh was a thin and tall man. His two brothers were martyred before him. He was fun and cool and he used to share fun memories of his high school.

Do you have other memories of Martyr Dastvareh?

Once, Martyr Dastvareh and I along with two other members of the base travelled to the fronts to assess it. We passed our forces in a Jeep and then walked towards Iraqi forces. We were hiding in a pit and the fire was so heavy that Haj Rezai who was very brave and we had to retain him by force was lying there. We were so close that we could hear them talk. I had closed my eyes and couldn’t see what was happening. In an opportunity the others moved back and didn’t manage to notify me. I started running under heavy fire. I didn’t know if I was shot. I made it to the Jeep and hopped in. Once we reached to the fronts the others realized that I was there.

Another occasion was during conquest of enemy logistics trench next to a salt factory. Haj Reza’s clothes were dirty so we went inside so that he could change. Later he notified the soldiers that there are milk powder and Valor stoves inside the trench. We used to drink milk powder a long while after.

How did you end up in 27 Rasoul Ollah Division’s communication?

In Kheibar operation I was mobilized volunteer communication force but then I was recruited by Sepah. After appointment in communication I was in charge of telecommunication and then designed the operation codes for divisions and logistic units. They all had separate codes with difference frequencies.

How would you design the codes?

There was a communication base in Do Kuheh Base. Mr. Fesharaki and I were designing the codes for amphibious operation. We had to think of all probable communications including words like boat, pedal, water, and land and design the codes accordingly. For instance we designed 1023 for “We need a boat”.

The codes were distinct for each operation. We used to change the codes. It was because there were identified by the enemy and we had to be prepared.

Did all in an operation abide by these codes?

Commanders were not really abiding and used to communicate transparently and these codes were mostly used by operators. We insisted that they memorize the codes prior to the operation.

Is there any significant memory of that period?

Once our copy machine was broken and we decided to go to Ahwaz to make the copies. Mr. Asgari was our driver. We went to a branch of Saderat Bank. Everyone knew Mr. Asgari there. In our way back I realized that he is the head of human resource department who was serving as a driver in the army.

You must have been wounded couple of times during your service. Which one stuck with you more?

I was collecting my stuff to move from Do Kuheh Base to Andimeshk when Mr. Beheshti asked: “Where are you going?” I said: “Tehran.” He asked: “For how long?” I responded: “10 days.” He said: “It’s long. Return in 5 or 6 days.” I wanted to argue but I didn’t want my vacation to be canceled. I agreed and moved to Tehran.

Couple of days later, brother of Mr. Beheshti came to our house and delivered a message from his brother that I have to return the same night. I said: “There are no trains now. Tell him I’ll return tomorrow.” His brother insisted and said: “He said tonight.” I grabbed my clothes and told the neighbor: “Tell my mother that I left.” I made it to Do Kuheh base the next morning and the troops were getting ready.

An ambulance vehicle was allocated to the division to carry wireless units in the operation. Haj Hossein said: “Grab your magic box and join us.” I had a grenade box were I had put the codes. His sentence meant that an operation is on the way.

We travelled to Shalamcheh in that ambulance and waited for couple of days until it was our turn to join the operation. I finished the codes in between. I was later ordered to dispatch codes to the divisions but I decided to take them personally to explain some things. We were moving by car towards the fronts that a katyusha exploded and the window pane exploded on my face. Some were martyred and I was wounded. I was transferred to Ahwaz and since my eyes were full of glass I figured I’m going blind but after long treatment in Tehran I regained my sight.

You must have witnessed martyrdom of many; which one do you remember?

I was operator in many operations riding along commanders. Before Fav operations, defense in Mehran city was with 27 Rasoulollah Division but we joined Fav operation. Saddam forces invaded Mehran again and 27 Rsoul Ollah Division had to fight again after Fav Operation to liberate the city. I was in Tehran at the time any wasn’t there when Reza Dastvareh was martyred but I attended his funeral. I accompanied him in the ambulance carrying his body.

I was in Badr operation with Mr. Mohtasham and his Deputy Mr. Akbari. Mohtasham and I were sitting behind the bulwark and we saw Akbari on a motorbike moving towards us from a road in full site of the enemy and the shouting started. We say how he was shot and martyred. After that I saw Martyr Abbas Karimi. He was the commander and soldiers had surrounded him to keep him safe from bullets. A quiver hit my leg and after I was transferred back he was martyred.