Operation Forough Javidan, the Start of MKO Fade-out

After a few weeks from the April 1988 and by entering to the final weeks of the 8th year of the Sacred Defense Era, the United Nations put more pressures on the belligerent government (Iran and Iraq) to make a ceasefire.

Since Saddam Hussein that had got some victories during the final military operations of June and July 1988, he decided to launch another military operation against the lands of Iran before the ceasefire. This time he used the MKO forces for this military operation.

Therefore, the enemy forces moved towards Sare Pole Zahab in the morning of July 25, 1988 through Khosravi borders. At the same time with these movements, a meeting was held between the authorities of Iran including Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani and commander lieutenant general martyr Sayad Shirazi, the representative of Imam Khomeini in the Defense Excellence Council in Kermanshah city, they decided that Chahar Zabar strait located in 34 kilometers away from Kermanshah to be considered as a defensive line against the enemy forces and it be supported as well.

According to this strategy, the Chahar Zabar strait was nicknamed as Mersad strait after the operation. This place had been considered as an ambush against the enemy forces. It was the first action of the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to do more expanded operations in the west Iran. This operation had been named as Forough Javidan by the MKO forces. But it was named as Mersad Operation by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mersad is an Arabic word which means ambush.

After adopting some decision and creating rifle pits and required ambushes in Chahar Zabar strait, the required forces of the Mersad operation were mainly from the armored Army 81 of Kermanshah, the independent brigade of commanders 45 of the Army Ground Force, the Artillery units, the air forces and then the Army 32 of Ansaar Al-Hussein and the Army 27 of Mohammad Rasul Allah (May God send greetings to him) (Also the Islamic Revolutionary Guards had joined them as well). The commander of this huge operation was martyr lieutenant general Sayad Shirazi.

After the entrance of helicopters of the air force to the war zone based on the demand of Sayad Shirazi, a team of Kubra Helicopters from Imam Hussein Garrison (AS) and a fire team from Kermanshah military base flew and they joined the forces in the path to Islam Abad in order to get closer to the mountainous areas of Chahar Zabar and to fly in one side of that.

The pilots that had stationed there flew on the left side of the Chahar Zabar strait and near the Mahi Dasht area in a length of 10 kilometers and they noticed a heavy traffic in the way and they reported this issue to the main commandership of operation. By the announcement of this news by the pilots, commander Sayad Shirazi demanded opening fires towards the enemy, but since the pilots thought that the line of traffic might be the ordinary people, they delayed in opening fires.

According to what has been mentioned in the documentary reports, martyr commander lieutenant general Sayad Shirazi with a louder voice said: “I as the representative of Imam Khomeini demand you to open fire and damage all the vehicles. They are the forces of MKO.”?

After the repetition and emphasis of the operation commander demand, the pilots targeted the road and they shot many of the vehicles in the way. After that four other teams of the Army from the air force entered the operation and in the morning of July 27, 1988 two aircrafts F4 from the Army Air Force bombarded the stopped military line of enemy so badly, but the attacks did not end at this place and after a few minutes the Kubra helicopters targeted many of the individuals and equipments of the enemy.

The enemy forces were allowed only to advance to the Chahar Zabar strait and this strait had been chosen by the Islamic Republic of Iran as an ambush. In fact according to this strategy, the Iranian forces had taken the enemy in the strait which was full of valleys and high mountainous areas and after that to starting fighting against them when they reach the Iranian ambush.

So in this case, the military operation ‘Mersad’ took place within three days and its first goal in the first stage was the attack of the Iranian forces known as ‘Liberal Making Army’ and in the second stage, the movement of the Ground Force by the support of the helicopters and aircrafts of the Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and in the third stage, the goal was devastating the enemy and imposing superiority against Saddam Hussein, so that the Mersad military operation to be launched successfully.

When the enemy faced with the heavy fires of Iran it had no way except escaping from the hell and they started to retreat, but the attack of Iran would not be finished easily. This time the Iranian forces prevented their return. Also the attacks of Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps were waiting for them and therefore the enemy was absolutely defeated and damaged.

Eventually this operation ended after three days of conflicts in the west Iran. Those forces of enemy that survived retreated and they left the lands and territories of Iran. In fact they escaped in order to prevent the number of their casualty from the statistic of 2500 killings.

Even though during the military operation ‘Mersad’ some of the Iranian forces belonging to the Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps were martyred as well, but in the other side of the conflicts 2500 persons of the enemy forces were killed. Some of the persons who were killed were the senior ranking commanders of the MKO. Therefore the Islamic Republic of Iran finished the final military operation of the Sacred Defense Era with a great victory.

During Mersad operation, several vehicles, tanks and cannons were captured as booty. Also many of the MKO forces were captured as well.

Mersad operation was the 70th attacking operation and generally it was the 104th operation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Also this operation was the final operation between Iran and Iraq during the eight year Imposed War Era.

The End

After a few weeks from the April 1988 and by entering to the final weeks of the 8th year of the Sacred Defense Era, the United Nations put more pressures on the belligerent government (Iran and Iraq) to make a ceasefire. Since Saddam Hussein that had got some victories during the final military operations of June and July 1988, he decided to launch another military operation against the lands of Iran before the ceasefire. This time he used the MKO forces for this military operation. Therefore, the enemy forces moved towards Sare Pole Zahab in the morning of July 25, 1988 through Khosravi borders. At the same time with these movements, a meeting was held between the authorities of Iran including Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani and commander lieutenant general martyr Sayad Shirazi, the representative of Imam Khomeini in the Defense Excellence Council in Kermanshah city, they decided that Chahar Zabar strait located in 34 kilometers away from Kermanshah to be considered as a defensive line against the enemy forces and it be supported as well. According to this strategy, the Chahar Zabar strait was nicknamed as Mersad strait after the operation. This place had been considered as an ambush against the enemy forces. It was the first action of the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to do more expanded operations in the west Iran. This operation had been named as Forough Javidan by the MKO forces. But it was named as Mersad Operation by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mersad is an Arabic word which means ambush. After adopting some decision and creating rifle pits and required ambushes in Chahar Zabar strait, the required forces of the Mersad operation were mainly from the armored Army 81 of Kermanshah, the independent brigade of commanders 45 of the Army Ground Force, the Artillery units, the air forces and then the Army 32 of Ansaar Al-Hussein and the Army 27 of Mohammad Rasul Allah (May God send greetings to him) (Also the Islamic Revolutionary Guards had joined them as well). The commander of this huge operation was martyr lieutenant general Sayad Shirazi. After the entrance of helicopters of the air force to the war zone based on the demand of Sayad Shirazi, a team of Kubra Helicopters from Imam Hussein Garrison (AS) and a fire team from Kermanshah military base flew and they joined the forces in the path to Islam Abad in order to get closer to the mountainous areas of Chahar Zabar and to fly in one side of that. The pilots that had stationed there flew on the left side of the Chahar Zabar strait and near the Mahi Dasht area in a length of 10 kilometers and they noticed a heavy traffic in the way and they reported this issue to the main commandership of operation. By the announcement of this news by the pilots, commander Sayad Shirazi demanded opening fires towards the enemy, but since the pilots thought that the line of traffic might be the ordinary people, they delayed in opening fires. According to what has been mentioned in the documentary reports, martyr commander lieutenant general Sayad Shirazi with a louder voice said: “I as the representative of Imam Khomeini demand you to open fire and damage all the vehicles. They are the forces of MKO.”? After the repetition and emphasis of the operation commander demand, the pilots targeted the road and they shot many of the vehicles in the way. After that four other teams of the Army from the air force entered the operation and in the morning of July 27, 1988 two aircrafts F4 from the Army Air Force bombarded the stopped military line of enemy so badly, but the attacks did not end at this place and after a few minutes the Kubra helicopters targeted many of the individuals and equipments of the enemy. The enemy forces were allowed only to advance to the Chahar Zabar strait and this strait had been chosen by the Islamic Republic of Iran as an ambush. In fact according to this strategy, the Iranian forces had taken the enemy in the strait which was full of valleys and high mountainous areas and after that to starting fighting against them when they reach the Iranian ambush. So in this case, the military operation ‘Mersad’ took place within three days and its first goal in the first stage was the attack of the Iranian forces known as ‘Liberal Making Army’ and in the second stage, the movement of the Ground Force by the support of the helicopters and aircrafts of the Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and in the third stage, the goal was devastating the enemy and imposing superiority against Saddam Hussein, so that the Mersad military operation to be launched successfully. When the enemy faced with the heavy fires of Iran it had no way except escaping from the hell and they started to retreat, but the attack of Iran would not be finished easily. This time the Iranian forces prevented their return. Also the attacks of Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps were waiting for them and therefore the enemy was absolutely defeated and damaged. Eventually this operation ended after three days of conflicts in the west Iran. Those forces of enemy that survived retreated and they left the lands and territories of Iran. In fact they escaped in order to prevent the number of their casualty from the statistic of 2500 killings. Even though during the military operation ‘Mersad’ some of the Iranian forces belonging to the Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps were martyred as well, but in the other side of the conflicts 2500 persons of the enemy forces were killed. Some of the persons who were killed were the senior ranking commanders of the MKO. Therefore the Islamic Republic of Iran finished the final military operation of the Sacred Defense Era with a great victory. During Mersad operation, several vehicles, tanks and cannons were captured as booty. Also many of the MKO forces were captured as well. Mersad operation was the 70th attacking operation and generally it was the 104th operation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Also this operation was the final operation between Iran and Iraq during the eight year Imposed War Era. The End