The text of the Imam’s declaration and the exemption from polytheists in 1969

In 1969, the Imam issued a declaration on the occasion of the Hajj period and included the verse of exemption from polytheists at the beginning of it and said: The Kaaba, the House of God and the House of Truth have been taken by the Israelis and you are watching. The US has taken the Kaaba.

Mourning for Faiziyeh Seminary

I remember that in Tehran, on the day of Ashura, I went to the pulpit in the Lorzadeh Mosque. I turned to people and said, "People! What are you so afraid of? What are you afraid of? Of dying? Of being shot? Hey people! Being shot is much better than cancer! We take a bullet and die and feel relieved, but when we are captured by cancer, we have to suffer for a lifetime and then die.

Frank E. Maestrone

Consul and Principal Officer in Khorramshahr in 1960-62

Frank E. Maestrone was born in Massachusetts in 1922. He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1943. He was a first lieutenant in the United States Army from 1943 to 1946. Frank E. Maestrone joined the State Department in 1948 and served in Austria, Germany, Egypt, Kuwait, and the Philippines. Mr. Hank Zivetz interviewed Mr. Maestrone in 1989.

Tabas Fog

Ebham-e Tabas: Ramzgoshayi az ja’beh siah-e tahajom nezami Amrika (Tabas Fog: Decoding the Black Box of the U.S. Military Invasion) is the title of a recently published book by Shadab Asgari. After the Islamic Revolution, on November 4, 1979, students seized the US embassy in Tehran and a number of US diplomats were imprisoned. The US army carried out “Tabas Operation” or “Eagle’s Claw” in Iran on April 24, 1980, ostensibly to free these diplomats, but it failed.

The Embankment Wounded Shoulders – 1

Diary of a Rescuer

As we approach the end of this writing, the spirit of sincerity and purity within it becomes more evident. I can't help but feel a sense of admiration and envy for these courageous and devoted young individuals who, in less than half our lifetime, have achieved a level of status that inspires a spiritual ascension when their experiences are recounted.

Oral History News of Esfand 1403 (Feb 19th to March 21st 2025)

According to the Iranian Oral History Web Site, “News of the Month” is the title of a series of reports on this site. These reports take a look at news related to the site’s topic in written and virtual media. Below are some of the news from Esfand 1403 (Feb 19th to March 21st 2025).

Gol Mohammad Shekari’s Memory

During the revolution days, I worked in the village bathhouse. I would hear the news of people’s demonstrations on the radio. Sometimes, I or someone else from the village would go to the city and witness the marches there. At that time, a teacher from the village was martyred in the city, and a large number of people went to Bojnourd to attend his funeral.

Feyzieh Seminary Accident Narrated by Dr. Mohammad Baqir Ketabi

During the Nowruz of 1963, tens of thousands of people came to Qom to spend the holidays in that holy land and enjoy its luck and blessings, and at the same time to see and hear the policies and moves of their religious leader and take them to different countries and cities like a messenger.

An Excerpt from the Memoirs of General Mohammad Jafar Asadi

As Operation Fath-ol-Mobin came to an end, the commanders gathered at the “Montazeran-e Shahadat” Base, thrilled by a huge and, to some extent, astonishing victory achieved in such a short time. They were already bracing themselves for the next battle. It is no exaggeration to say that this operation solidified an unprecedented friendship between the Army and IRGC commanders.