From Rey to Sham

Iranian Oral History Website
Translated by M. B. Khoshnevisan

2020-4-14

The book “From Rey to Sham” is an incomplete oral history narration of the martyr of the Defender of Shrine Sardar (Brigadier General) Ahmad Gholami. It has been published by the Center for Sacred Defense Documents and Research with the attempt of Ali Mojdehi and under the scientific and content supervision of Yadollah Izadi. The introduction says, “The work is the result of 18 sessions of Ali Mojdehi’s interview with Sardar Ahmad Gholami, a war commander. He had many positions such as the company and battalion commander, the Deputy Commander of the 10^th Brigade of Seyed al-Shohada (PBUH), the Commander of Intelligence and Operation and the Commander of the 110^th Brigade of Khatam (SAWA).    

In the interviews started from April 2015 and continued until April 2016, Ahmad Gholami has spoken about his life and activities from birth to appointment as the Commander of the 110^th Brigade of Khatam al-Anbya which was suspended by the sudden death of Ali Mojdehi. Sardar Gholami was also martyred in Syrian front less than ten days after his death and the narration remained incomplete practically. The book’s compilation, however, came to an end with the assistance Yadollah Izadi, the Head of the Oral History Group of the Center for Sacred Defense Documents and Research.

The book has been compiled in six sections and eighteen sessions of interview. The first section narrates Ghoalmi’s childhood until the Islamic revolution, dealing with the shaping of his character and participation in revolutionary activities. The second section is titled “The containing of security crises in the first months of revolution” which includes participation in securing the capital Tehran, security from Tehran to Kurdistan and the Kurdistan’s dispute as a preliminary stage for the invasion of the Iraqi Ba’thi’s regime against Iran. The third section under the title of resistance in Khorramshahr, operation in Bazi Deraz deals with the start of the war, presence in Khorramshahr and Abadan, the establishment of defense lines in Kout Sheikh, Operation Bazi Deraz and the continuation of preserving Tehran’s security.

The fourth section titled driving the aggressor out from Bostan to Khorramshahr talks about the sixth battalion in Operation Tariq al-Qods, the shaping of the 27^th Brigade of Mohammad Rasoullollah (SAWA), the 27^th Brigade in Operation Fat’h al-Mobin, the successful record in Operation Valfajr 2 and resistance in Haj Omran till the mission in Hoor. The fifth section titled failures in the south deals with a limited success in Haj Omran which includes three sessions of interview. Finally, the sixth session titled cessation in Hoor and the adventures of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), tenth district (Tehran), dealing with the execution of Operation Kheibar and the disclosure of criticisms in Tehran’s Vali-e Asr Garrison as well as criticizing the war commandership. Images and documents, personal notes and the list of indexes form the final section of the book.

In one of the personal notes, we read, “Generally, when our commanders have no way, they are forced to leave for the frontline. Their goal was to do their divine mission, and so much the better if they are martyred in this way. Good for those who chose the way of martyrdom which is the best way. We who stayed, lost. At present, some of our commanders who have become old are after going to Syria or other places in order to leave this world at least with dignity and do not die in bed. I have talked to some of these commanders and they said, good for the martyrs.” 

This 536-page work came into the publication market in February 2020.