Memories of Morteza Alviri
Compiled by: Faezeh Sasanikhah
Translated by: Fazel Shirzad
2023-3-7
Note: In the first days of the victory of the revolution, the province of Kurdistan was in turmoil and there was a chaotic situation there. On behalf of the People's Mojahedin Organization of the Islamic Revolution, we have sent some people to Kurdistan to investigate the situation. We also sent an armed group there to deal with the counter-revolution. Some were also sent to Kurdistan by Mr. Rafiqdoost.
Under the roof of Mahabad Municipality
One day, I was also scheduled to go to Kurdistan to visit the completed works. I took a handbag and went to Mahabad. At that time, I also had the committee card in my bag. In Mahabad, I wanted to get to the IRGC headquarters. In the city, I saw that the prevailing atmosphere is against the IRGC and the whole city is against the Islamic Republic. I was worried about this. I did not dare to ask anyone where the IRGC headquarters is; because I felt that if I asked the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards, they would definitely catch me and beat me. So I asked, "Where is the police headquarters?"
They gave me the police address and I went there. I had just arrived in front of the police station and wanted to ask the officer in front of the door where the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards was, when suddenly the Democratic and Komle forces attacked the police station, and a fight started in front of the police station.
One of the police officers was shot, and I threw myself inside the police building. The head of the police took a gun to defend himself and started shooting when suddenly a bullet hit him and he was martyred after a few minutes. With the martyrdom of the head of police, the forces of Komle and the Democrats poured into police station. I also had the committee's card in my bag and I knew for sure that if they recognized me, they would definitely behead me.
I left the bag and quickly went to the top floor of the police station and hid in the attic there. The student of the coffee shop who brings tea to the constables was also hiding there. A few minutes after we hid in the attic, I saw thick smoke gathering in the attic. They had set fire to the police building, and the smoke was thick and the result was a fire. I felt that everything was over and we would suffocate in the attic; because there was no escape.
The student of the coffee shop, who found our situation dire, stuck his head out of the hole in the roof for a moment and told the attackers in Kurdish that he was a plumber in this building and was stuck up here, and asked them to come and save him. He introduced me as his friend. My bag was also left at the bottom. The old man, who had a crush on a footman, allowed him to come out of the attic. I also came out from under the attic in search of the cistern and jumped down from the wall and went out of the police building. On the way, I told the footman that I was a traveler and I was passing through this city when I was drawn to policeman and under its roof. He also said that he has a humble room for rent near police station.
It was night and indescribable terror had overtaken me. I followed him to his house, which was in a big yard. There were many rooms around that courtyard. He introduced me to other tenants. One of them invited me to his room. He said that his main job is selling vegetables and he has a vegetable shop in Mahabad Square. Then he gave me information about how to get the gun and its price. The greengrocer gave me some trouble and I used his information later.
In the morning, I thanked the man very much and left his house.
During the talks of the vegetable seller, I could roughly guess where the headquarters of the IRGC is; Therefore, I tried to find the relevant signs and reach the headquarters of the Corps.
After finding the IRGC headquarters, I went there and told them what happened to me.
Gunshots could be heard around the IRGC building and it was clear that they were regularly attacking it. The forces of the IRGC arrested some people and kept them in prison, and suspects were constantly added to the number of prisoners.[1]
[1] Source: Morteza Alviri's memoirs, Edited by The Bureau for the Islamic Revolution Literature, Tehran, Hozheh Honeri, 1375 (1996), p. 83.
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