The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (10)

Memoirs of Hafeznia (10) They again started asking me several questions. “How have you heard of it? Where have they told you? So, it is clear that some people have had relation with you.” Thus, everything started from the very beginning. Of course, a few tough ungracious persons came later and joined the group. They treated very violently. They annoyed and beat and forced me to stay awake for a few days. They didn’t let me sleep even for a few moments. I really needed to sleep but as soon as I closed my eyes, they began to beat and did not allow me to sleep. Even I did not known what I was writing. They called me and said something but I did not know what to answer. And in general I didn’t know what I was doing. They were trying to bother me physically and mentally. However, during all these times, my...

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (9)

Memoirs of Hafeznia (9) Transferring to TehranI think it had not passed more than one day when they suddenly stopped interrogating. I had just sat on a chair in the room lonely. I had no news of the fate of Shahir Motlaq (the division commander). I also did not know what was going on outside the room since I was fully guarded. I had already heard from the anti-intelligence agents of Khorasan 77 Division that there were political prison, cells and places for torturing in the division.  I was surprised why they didn't take me there, because it was not a minor measure that they wanted to ignore it easily. I disclosed nobody's address, I did say nothing. About the persons whose names was in the phone book, I said I did not know who they were, you call them. They would say who they are! They were not so stupid...

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (8)

Memoirs of Hafeznia (8) We reached the detention center as I was in such dreams. The door was opened and I was pushed inside. I entered the cell.  The first thing I said there loudly which I think everybody heard was "By the Lord of the Ka’ba I have succeeded" (the immortal phrase that Imam Ali (AS) expressed as blood spouting from his pierced scalp dyed red his face and beard). I said this phrase from the bottom of my heart which boosted my morale. After a few minutes, several people came into my cell and started searching me. By chance, there was a phone book in my military uniform which was found by them. I gave a deep sigh but did not ignore. I had already decided to put the phone book out of my pocket since the phone numbers of some of my friends from the university, Shiraz garrison, Mashhad's and...

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (7)

Memoirs of Hafeznia (7) Finally, we arrived in the parade field of the artillery unit which was bigger and cleaner than the other ones. Armored, infantry and artillery units with thousands of soldiers and commissioned and noncommissioned officers had all stood up around the field. The military units with their guns and bayonets had remained upright and displayed a great battlefield. As far as the eye could see, the companies and battalions had been deployed around the field respectively. They were ready to march with their guns and bayonets. I had also stood up in the place where I had to be and the grandeur of the division and the field had no impact on me and my will. All of a sudden, I found out that Major General Shahir Motlaq, the division commander had returned and was present in the field! I said to...

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (6)

Memoirs of Hafeznia (6) The soldier said nothing and started to help me open the ropes. I took the box of the colt bullets out of the truck and put it in my room under the table behind which I sit. Then, I started reading a book as if nothing had happened. The same soldier came back again and took his gun. I found out that he was still continue to guard and looking at me from the window and in fact watching me. I had to bend gently so that he could not see me. I opened the lock of the bullet box quietly and without any suspicious move, while pretending to study, I opened the door of the box, and took three magazines of bullets out, brought them up very slowly and hid them between my feet on the same chair on which I had sat in a way that the soldier did not see. Then, I took out the empty magazine of the colt,...

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (5)

Memoirs of Hafeznia (5) When I came back to the company, I thought of planning an operation. The first plan which drew my attention was to carry out an operation in the new parade field of the division located beside the tank battalion and a ceremony was supposed to be held in the field the next morning. So, on this basis, I thought of finding a way. Around evening, I was said that since you were the commander of the first squad of the tank company, you would be on alert tonight, the rest of the officers would leave but you stay here as the officer on duty. I got very happy. I guessed that ammunitions would also be given to me. Now I knew comfortably that I could arrange a plan for an operation.  It was still daylight. When others left, I quickly left for the parade field to examine the conditions and to...

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (4)

The Memoires of Hafeznia (4) I went to the garrison in the morning. As usual, the Battalion's personnel were busy repairing the tanks and there was nothing special. After a few hours, it was announced that since a number of incidents had happened, the Division's commander had gone to Tehran to take part in a seminar the issue of which was to review how to suppress and contain popular demonstrations in the Iranian cities and towns. At the same time, I was waiting for an opportunity to strike a blow to the regime or to create an incident in the garrison.The same day we were informed that the all the military units were on alert, so you should return until 4 PM. It showed that either incidents had taken place in Mashhad or were on the verge of happening.I got very happy and thanked God that the crackdown happened a...

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (3)

The Memoirs of Hafeznia (3) On the other hand, I was thinking what I should do and I was in intense mental pressure. I wanted to find a solution for the future. Finally, two solutions came to my mind. One was outside the garrison and the other inside.My plan for outside the garrison was that the Khorasan 77 Division would hold a war game in the city of Torbat-e Jam once a year in which all the senior commanders of the Division would attend and since both dummy and live rounds were used during the war game, I did not have the problem of supplying ammunitions, and I could create an incident with great reflection in the society. The solution for inside the garrison was that if I couldn't have access to ammunitions or failed to carry out an operation, I would set part of the garrison on fire. So, I thought of using...

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (2)

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (2) First missionTwo weeks had been passed since the beginning of my job. One day, I was having lunch at home around afternoon when someone knocked the door. I went and opened the door. Someone had come from the garrison to take me back. He said: you should come back to the garrison since we are on alert.I said: "I have just arrived and was having lunch". He answered, "At any rate, you must come back to the garrison as soon as you can."This was my first experience regarding military alert. I had no acquaintance with the issue and culture of alert up to that time.  I had no choice but to have lunch quickly. Then, I put my clothes on and left for the garrison.I was wondering that there might be a military drill; because it was rumor that a drill would be held soon. When I...

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (1)

The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia is the story of an attempt by an enlisted officer (Mohammad Reza Hafeznia) in 77 Khorasan Division for assassinating the Division's commander whom he regarded as the cause of the people's suppression.  The event had a wide reflection in summer of 1978.The book explains about how the narrator's personality was grown up since his childhood and how his though and campaign motives were formed. It also says about the process of the operation's planning and its implementation, how he was arrested, his interrogation, the period of detention, and escape from the prison as well as the life of the narrator until the victory of the Islamic revolution and his first attempts in the first months of the establishment of the Islamic Republic...