Unfinished Narrative

Mahya Hafezi
Translated By: Zahra Hosseinian

2023-7-10

Iran Press published the memoirs of Sayyed Hamid Taghavifar, entitled Unfinished Narrative, in 500 copies in the spring of 2022. The interviewer is Behzad Sheikhi and the editor is Somayyeh Azimi Sotoudeh Kashani. The memoirs of this martyred Sardar, who was one the holy shrine defender, from the time of holy defense, have been made available to those interested, in 328 pages at a price of Ninety-Eight Thousand Tomans.

At first glance, the scritta paper of the book and design of the cover, which tells the title of the book, draw attention.

The short list of content includes the publisher's preface, editor's note, 7 discussion sessions, appendix, pictures, and index.

In the preface, the publisher pointed to the reason for selecting the book title, and said that the interviews with the narrator were left unfinished because of his martyrdom in the resistance front, but it was decided to compile these unfinished memories. The Islamic Revolution Documents Center, of course, has published the life of Sardar Taghavifar completely in 2021, entitled Seasonless Land, written by Somayyeh Azimi Sotoudeh Kashani; with the difference that in Seasonless Land, Parvin Moradi has narrated her memoirs of 35 years living with Hamid Taghavifar.

Behzad Sheikhi was recorded his interview with the narrator in 2013. These talks ended with the martyrdom of Haj Hamid in January 2015. In these talks, the narrator has narrated the memories of his childhood and adolescence, education, living conditions, marriage, revolution and the early years of the imposed war. In a conversation with Sepas Veterans Association several years ago, he expressed his memories about Martyr Mehdi Zainuddin and Martyr Ismail Daghayeghi, which both are included in the appendix part.

Martyr Taghavifar known as "Abu Maryam" was the intelligence-operations commander of Ramazan Base affiliated to the Quds Forces of IRGC, who was martyred in the fight against ISIS in the Azizbalad region of Iraq. He was born in 1959 in Abu Dabes village of Ahvaz, with a vow for Hazrat Abbas ibn Ali. His parents pierced his ear and wrote on his earring: "Vow of Hazrat Abbas".

Before the revolution, he was active in mosques and distributing Imam Khomeini's leaflets; and after the revolution, he also engaged in intelligence and cultural work. In 1979, he married his maternal cousin, and became the head of Karun police station. He held his wedding ceremony at the headquarters of the IRGC. Their guests were Ali Shamkhani, Hossein Panahi, Sadegh Ahangaran and some colleagues of the province IRGC. Sayyed Hamid and his friends were engaged in fighting against the Arab people's group when they found out that the enemy had entered the territory of Iran. They recognized that victory lies in identifying the enemy forces. A few weeks later, the war intelligence and operations unit was organized in October 1980, with the presence of Hassan Bagheri in the IRGC; and Sayyed Hamid Taghavifar assumed the responsibility of coordinating the corps information of Hamidiyeh and Sousangerd with Hassan Bagheri. Mehdi Zainuddin accompanied him in several reconnaissance to dominate the Sousangerd region. The capture of 1140 Iraqis, the destruction of the armored brigade, the capture of 10 tanks and 60 dump trucks are among the achievements of the Khyber operation. Iran's winning card in this operation was the implementation of amphibious operation, which was carried out on the initiative of narrator and his friends. The narrator's memories continue to the defense of Iraq and the fight against ISIS in Samarra. In Iraq, Haj Hamid is known as "Abu Maryam". He said in an interview that he is known as Sadat Talghari. Talgharis are Sadat of Shushtar and Aghili area near Suleiman Mosque. In the conversations, which are in the form of questions and answers, he has expressed his memories of the arrest of hypocrites, the fight against smuggling, etc. He has also provided information about how the IRGC recruit the Revolutionary Guards, occupying and liberating the Sousangerd, deal with the Nojeh coup, etc.

The Unfinished Narrative, despite its short content, provides the audience with useful information about the role of the IRGC during the Holy Defense period; I wish these memories would not remain unfinished!