Narrated by images

The little men of those years

Elham Saleh
Translated by: M. B. Khoshnevisan

2019-1-8

The Sacred Defense years were an opportunity for them to get from teen years to youth. They left their adolescence in the towns and villages and grew up as men in the fronts. This photo post is about the teenagers who abandoned their comfortable homes so that their mothers live in safety and comfort. They are brave men for Isfahan Province who took part in the war in the areas of Dar Khowein, Dalpari and Fakkeh.   

*All of them have got together in the area of Dalpari with flags in the colors of green, black and red on which the phrase "There is no God but Allah" have been decorated. It is 20^th of March 1982 and here is the place of gathering of the battalions of Imam Hussian (PBUH) Division before the Operation Fat'h al-Mobin. Some of the combatants have headbands and some do not, exactly like the two teenagers in front of the photo. The second one has two green and red flags in his hand and the one who is closer has the black flag in his hand. The first one who has a "Ya Hussain" armband on his arm, has hugged the gun and has held his hand under chin, his hair is tall, but the second one has cut his hair. Both are thinking with no attention to the presence of the photographer.

Photo by Hussain Arkadestani

*A close-up view of one of the teenagers in the Dalpary area. In the previous photo, he has held his hand under chin in such a way that it is hard to say that this is the same teenager, but the bunch of the flags he holds, his armband, his headband on which the phrase "Nasr-o Menallah va Fat'hon Gharib" or help from Allah and victory is near has been written, are all indications that he is the same Previous teen. If there is any doubt, the collar of his shirt and cuff will surely turn the hesitation into certainty. This time, the hand is under the chin, but his face is visible. He is still in thought deeply. It is 20^th of March 1982, and the troops have gathered for the Operation of the Fat’h al-Mobin. This operation was launched on 22^nd of March, with the code "Ya Zahra (SA)" in the western area of Shush and Andimeshk with an area of 2500 square kilometers which led to the kicking out of the enemy forces from a large part of Khuzestan.

Photo by Hussain Arkadestani

Place: The area of Darkhowein, date: 11^th of July 1982. A group of combatants have got together. The teenager wearing Keffiyeh is closer to the photographer. A young man has been sitting beside him. A number of other combatants are behind and in front of him, but the photographer intended to register him who has hugged a gun, has locked his hands together and it looks that he is listening to a lecture. The direction that the teenager and the young man are looking at, are both at one side, toward the direction that somebody is speaking.

Darkhowein was the place of training and deployment of the 14^th Division of Imam Hussain (PBUH), the 17^th Division of Ali Ibn Abitaleb (PBUH), the Brigade of Qamar Bani Hahsem and the armored brigade of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). With the breakout of the Iraqi imposed war against Iran, a front was established to stop the enemy’s advance which was called as “Darkhowein Front” for being deployed in the village of Darkhowein.  

Photo by Mohammad Reza Sharafoddin 

It’s 7^th of February 1983. They should be in schools now but they are in the area of Fakkeh. They have made their own decision and have come to the war fronts voluntarily. They have sat on the soil, the one who has the “Ya Hussain (PBUH)” headband looks younger. The hat on his head protects him from the cold weather, but the other one has neither headband nor hat nor Keffiyeh. His Keffiyeh may be the same who has spread on the ground so that it can be a tablecloth for bread, potato and boiled egg. The photographer has hunted the photos on time, one is peeling potatoes and the other peeling eggs; it’s maybe a breakfast or maybe a lunch. But if they were at home, their tablecloth had both tea and a mother who takes a bite for them.

Fakkeh was one of the main areas of the enemy’s attack on eastern Khuzestan. In the Operation Preliminary Valfajr which was carried out on 6^th of February 1983, the combatants infiltrated the depth of the enemy’s positions.

Photo by Mehdi Jonipour    

Date: 13^th of July 1982. There are men in the image. All of them have red headbands on which have written "Nasr-o Menallah va Fat'hon Gharib" or help from Allah and victory is near. The two closer ones look curious to the extent that they are gazing at the camera, but the teenager standing beside them is looking at another point. Mazaheri (the name which has been written on his clothes) should now be playing in the alleys, what except fighting for his country has dragged him to Darkhowein?

The enemy had many airstrikes here.

Photo by Mohammad Reza Sharafoddin 

Date: 19^th March 1982. The photographer has registered a group of combatants in Dalpari area. The background is fading and in the foreground, the teenagers are seen; four people of which the two back ones are more faded and the two in front are completely clear. They have hats on their heads which indicates the cold weather; the red color of their face is also another indication that it is very cold. The first one has "Ya Abolfazl Abbas (AS)" headband and the second one "Allah-o Akbar". All of them are equipped with backpacks and thermos. With this young age, they went to fight against the enemy so that Iran remains. 

Photo by Hussain Arkadestani

Droplets of sweat are seen on his face. The way he is leaning on the stronghold and his facial expression indicates that he is breathing fresh. He has a plaque on the hand and a plaque on the neck. Most likely, this teen who wears a diving suit has just returned from the operation. This is Zaid's police station area, photographed on 16^th of July 1982. Zaid is a border checkpoint that was one of the main areas of the enemy's invasion during the imposed war years.

Photo by Mohammad Reza Sharafoddin