Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (30)

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (30)Edited by Mohsen KazemiSoureh Mehr Publishing Company(Original Text in Persian, 2000)Translated by Mohammad Karimi   Spout of Water   One day I heard a high ranking army general from Imperial Army Inspectorate had come to Semnan and resided in Governorship building. It seemed that he had come for some immoral pleasure party in Damghan and then disposing some affairs in Semnan in three days before returning to capital.I welcomed this chance and went to governorship building to visit him. I also asked Kheir Abad people to go there separately and express their need for tap water. They stopped me when entering the building. I said: “I am soldier of Construction and Development Corps and not form locals. Finally I could enter by forcing myself to them. I entered the...

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (29)

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (29)Edited by Mohsen KazemiSoureh Mehr Publishing Company(Original Text in Persian, 2000)Translated by Mohammad Karimi Mozembel After being familiar with the people of Kheir Abad, I intended to do my divine task. So I went to see the governor and report about the hardships of the people. I asked him to do something to eliminate the roots of injustice and tyranny for this kind and sincere people. The governor was quite disappointed and told me that his attempt had been fruitless in this regard. He said: “As long the Khans rule, the conditions would not change.” He continued: “Now, you go on! Do something. I will help you indirectly; I do not want to be involved in tribal conflicts.”He clarified for me that this condition had been formed based on some policies. The policies...

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (28)

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (28)Edited by Mohsen KazemiSoureh Mehr Publishing Company(Original Text in Persian, 2000)Translated by Mohammad Karimi Reconstruction and Development Corps of Semnan After finishing the training course and learning some information about hygiene, rural construction, irrigation, agriculture and … I was waiting to be dispatched to a village or county for serving people and be freed of dry army system. But I firmly believed forming this kind of governmental organizations such as Reconstruction and Development Corps, literacy Corps, and ... was only propaganda for dissembling people by the Pahlavi regime. However, I welcomed this opportunity and tried to change the situation in my favor and serve my people as a member of Reconstruction and Development Corps.Because of my good marks...

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (27)

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (27)Edited by Mohsen KazemiSoureh Mehr Publishing Company(Original Text in Persian, 2000)Translated by Mohammad Karimi Knowing Mohammad Mofidi Knowing Mohammad Mofidi (1) was one of the greatest achievements for me during my military service. He was martyred later. The story of knowing him is a nice one. In Karaj Garrison I was in the 6th battalion. Once when they were calling the names of the soldiers, I heard the name of Ladjevardi in the 3rd battalion. I guessed he may be a relative of Assadullah Ladjevardi. I went to see him and asked the matter. He said that he was his relative. We became friends. Gradually I noted that he had a relation with a tall young man. I monitored him and saw that he would Koran so well and without mistake. At that time considering reading Koran was a...

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (26)

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (26)Edited by Mohsen KazemiSoureh Mehr Publishing Company(Original Text in Persian, 2000)Translated by Mohammad Karimi Going to Military Service- Karaj Garrison My father was under my tutelage and I was exempted from military service for seven years. This time was going to finish. I referred to the Military Service Administration and asked to prolong my exemption from military service. They examined my case and referred it to the court. There, they wrote "soldier" with red pen on my file and said: "Go and serve your country!" I argued: "My father is seven years older, and my exemption of military service should be forever or at least prolonged at the right moment." But they did not accept and said: "We cannot do anything!" Now, what for? I do not know! But I guess they had some...

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (25)

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (25)Edited by Mohsen KazemiSoureh Mehr Publishing Company(Original Text in Persian, 2000)Translated by Mohammad Karimi Being Trained in Hezbollah We needed some training to ready to fight against the regime consciously. So we scheduled program for the needed trainings such as martial arts, shooting and ideological discussions somewhere around brick kilns near Khavaran Road. We (Abu Sharif, Sepasi Ashtiani and I) would go to places far behind the public eyes in order to save any human or animal from the possible hurts of our shooting and also not to make any suspicion.In another program, Abba Agha Zamani conducted Arabic Language classes first in Haj Amjad Mosque (1) and then in Amir-al-Mu’menin Mosque (2). These classes were free and in a new style and beside the call Agha Zamani...

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (24)

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (24)Edited by Mohsen KazemiSoureh Mehr Publishing Company(Original Text in Persian, 2000)Translated by Mohammad Karimi Rain in Dessert Hezbollah On 6th of Ramadan 1387 SH (Dec 8th 1967), Abbas Agha Zamani (1) a friend of mine in INP came to my home and after the greetings asked me to go with him somewhere in Tehran suburbs to tell some important to me. When I came out of the house I could see that Ali Reza Sepasi Ashtiani was also in the car. Abbas had a Benz-170. I did greetings with him too and we went. Where? They did not tell me at first.On the way Abbas Agha Zamani talked about what we were and what had to do. He said: “Ahmad! We did not go to prison to get familiar with some friends or fast or worship and then return back to normal life and consider the story of fight a...

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (23)

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (23)Edited by Mohsen KazemiSoureh Mehr Publishing Company(Original Text in Persian, 2000)Translated by Mohammad Karimi Islamic Community and the Marxists Commune in Prison What we had in Prison No. 3 was a picture of an Islamic Community. Whatever that someone would like for himself would like it for others and what he would not like for himself would not like it for the others as well. Brotherhood and unity were seen in all levels. We had no financial dependency in the prison. If someone had something it belonged to all the brothers.  And if somebody needed something the others would give him. It was the utopia we were looking for. Prison was a chance to test Islamic ideas practically. Islamic Community was an ideal goal and prison was a chance to experience it.55 INP members...

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (22)

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (22)Edited by Mohsen KazemiSoureh Mehr Publishing Company(Original Text in Persian, 2000)Translated by Mohammad Karimi Prison No. 3After about 4 months, they sent me to Prison No. 3 where the other INP members were held as political prisoners. There, we had fewer problems because of being beside other friends who were all political. Something that I should narrate here are the stories of honoring resistance of our palls.Days and nights at prison were the same. In order to flee from this condition we had scheduled our time. I dare to say that we had no misused time. From dawn to sunset we had filled our time by worship, prayers, classes, discussions, news analysis, cleaning and … Mr. Anvari had two kinds of classes; a public one and a professional one. And Mr. Hojjati Kermani had...

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (21)

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (21)Edited by Mohsen KazemiSoureh Mehr Publishing Company(Original Text in Persian, 2000)Translated by Mohammad Karimi Prison No. 2, Row No. 4Our deadline was going to be over and we were ready to go on hunger strike. Major Teymouri came and said: “Don not think that we are frightened of your threat; since there some room is being freed, we are taking you to Prison No. 3. However, 3 people should go to Prison No. 2. Thus, two people and I went to row No. 4 in Prison No. 2 and the rest were taken to Prison No.3.They had transferred the INP leader and some central committee members to this row. Ayatollah Mohiyeddin Anvari, Sheik Fazlollah Mahalati and Haj Ali Noori were among other prisoners in this row who were completely aware of our resistance in Prison No. 1. When we entered they...
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Oral History School – 7

The interviewer is the best compiler

According to Oral History Website, Dr. Morteza Rasoulipour in the framework of four online sessions described the topic “Compilation in Oral History” in the second half of the month of Mordad (August 2024). It has been organized by the Iranian History Association. In continuation, a selection of the teaching will be retold:
An Excerpt from the Narratives of Andimeshk Women on Washing Clothes During the Sacred Defense

The Last Day of Summer, 1980

We had livestock. We would move between summer and winter pastures. I was alone in managing everything: tending to the herd and overseeing my children’s education. I purchased a house in the city for the children and hired a shepherd to watch over the animals, bringing them near the Karkheh River. Alongside other herders, we pitched tents.

Memoirs of Commander Mohammad Jafar Asadi about Ayatollah Madani

As I previously mentioned, alongside Mehdi, as a revolutionary young man, there was also a cleric in Nurabad, a Sayyid, whose identity we had to approach with caution, following the group’s security protocols, to ascertain who he truly was. We assigned Hajj Mousa Rezazadeh, a local shopkeeper in Nurabad, who had already cooperated with us, ...
Excerpt from the Book of Oral History of the Army and the Islamic Revolution

Two Narratives on the Events of September 8, 1978

"On September 8, most of the military personnel feigned illness and did not participate in enforcing martial law. I know of a battalion commander who had come from Maragheh to Tehran, only to head to Shahr-e Rey to his sister's house. When his sister asked him why he had come to Tehran, he replied, 'I am a battalion commander enforcing martial law.'