Ali Sayad Shirazi
Encyclopedia
Ali Sayad Shirazi was chief-of-staff of the Iranian forces during Iran's 8-year war with Iraq. He was assassinated in 1999. Prior to that, he had a central role in suppressing the armed rebellion in Kordestan
province in 1979.
. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant
in the Artillery
and in 1974 he was sent to the United States
for drill and educating. When he returned to his homeland Iran
he demonstrated against The Shah and joined the Islamic revolution. Therefore he was sacked from his commission and jailed by the Shah. After the revolution he served in the Iranian army
and became a general.
soldiers to victory in the Iranian Operation Undeniable Victory
, this was the first time Iran was able to defeat Iraq in a major battle, Iran broke through Iraq's "impenetrable" defense lines and expelled them from the Dezful
-Shush
area, this operation is considered by many as the turning point in the war. During Iran's attempt to capture Basra with Operation Ramadan
Shirazi was said: We will continue the war until Saddam Hussein is overthrown so that we can pray at Karbala and Jerusalem.
In 1988, the Mojahedin-e Khalq with help of Saddam Hussein
attacked West-Iran and battled Iranian forces for Kermanshah
. Iran smashed them with their counter offensive: Operation Mersad
, which was led by Brigadier-General Ali Sayad Shirazi. In 1989, Shirazi was awarded the highest military distinction in the Iranian armed forces, the Fath (Conquest) medal.
(MKO) claimed responsibility for the assassination of Sayyad Shirazi, they said it was revenge for destroying their then powerful army in Operation Mersad
. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in his message on Shirazi's martyrdom said:
"The faithful and brave commander of the Islamic army and devoted soldier of the religion and the holy Qur'an attained martyrdom at the hands of the criminal, bloodthirsty and disgraced hypocrites. This is not the first nor the last time a faithful and lover of the lofty ideas of the divine faith has been martyred by the dirty, criminal and corrupt hands of those mercenaries who have to earn their livelihood only through serving the enemies of Islam. The hot plains of Khuzestan and the high mountains of Kurdestan have witnessed the preparedness and devotion of the brave and determined man who left numerous memories of his courage and self-sacrifice during the eight-year sacred defense period."
Iranian ex-President Khatami described him as "a selfless commander of Islam and honorable son of Iran."
and the Sayad Shirazi Highway in Tehran
.
Kurdistan Province
Kurdistan Province or Kordestan Province or Kurdestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, not to be confused with the greater geographical area of Iranian Kurdistan. The province of Kurdistan is 28,817 km² in area which encompasses just one-fourth of the Kurdish inhabited areas of Iran or...
province in 1979.
Background
Shirazi was born in Kaboud Gonbad in 1944. His father being a non-commissioned officer in the Army motivated him to join and in 1964 he joined as a cadetCadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and in 1974 he was sent to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for drill and educating. When he returned to his homeland Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
he demonstrated against The Shah and joined the Islamic revolution. Therefore he was sacked from his commission and jailed by the Shah. After the revolution he served in the Iranian army
Military of Iran
The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran include the IRIA and the IRGC and the Police Force .These forces total about 545,000 active personnel . All branches of armed forces fall under the command of General Headquarters of Armed Forces...
and became a general.
Iran–Iraq War
During the Iran–Iraq War Sayad Shirazi became one of the most important generals of Iran. In 1981, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini appointed him commander of the Ground Forces of the Iranian Army. In 1982, he did something that made him famous, he led the Iranian Pasdaran and BasijBasij
The Basij is a paramilitary volunteer militia established in 1979 by order of the Islamic Revolution's leader Ayatollah Khomeini. The force consists of young Iranians who have volunteered, often in exchange for official benefits...
soldiers to victory in the Iranian Operation Undeniable Victory
Operation Undeniable Victory
Operation Undeniable Victory also known as Operation Fath-ol-Mobeen was an Iranian operation conducted during the Iran-Iraq War, in March 1982....
, this was the first time Iran was able to defeat Iraq in a major battle, Iran broke through Iraq's "impenetrable" defense lines and expelled them from the Dezful
Dezful
Dezful is a city in and the capital of Dezful County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 228,507, in 55,711 families.The city houses a bridge that dates back to 300 BC.In 2006, the city had 235,819 inhabitants.-History:...
-Shush
Shush
Shush may be:*the Iranian town of Shush**the Persian name of ancient Susa, which is next to the modern town**Shush County, Iran**a Tehran metro station* S.H.U.S.H., the fictional peace-keeping organization* Slang to keep quiet...
area, this operation is considered by many as the turning point in the war. During Iran's attempt to capture Basra with Operation Ramadan
Operation Ramadan
Operation Ramadan was an offensive in the Iran-Iraq War. It was launched by Iran in July 1982 near Basra and featured the use of human wave attacks in one of the largest land battles since World War II...
Shirazi was said: We will continue the war until Saddam Hussein is overthrown so that we can pray at Karbala and Jerusalem.
In 1988, the Mojahedin-e Khalq with help of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
attacked West-Iran and battled Iranian forces for Kermanshah
Kermanshah
Kermanshah is a city in and the capital of Kermanshah Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 784,602, in 198,117 families.The overwhelming majority of Kermanshahi people are Shi'a Muslims...
. Iran smashed them with their counter offensive: Operation Mersad
Operation Mersad
Operation Mersad was the name given by the Iranian government to its successful counterattack against a July 1988 military incursion from Iraq by a military force of about 7000 members of the People's Mujahedin of Iran, armed and equipped and given air support by Saddam's Iraq...
, which was led by Brigadier-General Ali Sayad Shirazi. In 1989, Shirazi was awarded the highest military distinction in the Iranian armed forces, the Fath (Conquest) medal.
Assassination
On April 10, 1999, 6:45 local time Shirazi was assassinated, just outside his house when he was going to work. The People's Mujahedin of IranPeople's Mujahedin of Iran
The People's Mujahedin of Iran is a terrorist militant organization that advocates the overthrow of the Islamic Republic of Iran....
(MKO) claimed responsibility for the assassination of Sayyad Shirazi, they said it was revenge for destroying their then powerful army in Operation Mersad
Mersad
Mersad is an Iranian advanced low to mid range Air defense system developed in 2010. It fires Shahin missiles which are reverse engineered, domestically upgraded versions of the American MIM-23 Hawk Surface-to-air missiles...
. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in his message on Shirazi's martyrdom said:
"The faithful and brave commander of the Islamic army and devoted soldier of the religion and the holy Qur'an attained martyrdom at the hands of the criminal, bloodthirsty and disgraced hypocrites. This is not the first nor the last time a faithful and lover of the lofty ideas of the divine faith has been martyred by the dirty, criminal and corrupt hands of those mercenaries who have to earn their livelihood only through serving the enemies of Islam. The hot plains of Khuzestan and the high mountains of Kurdestan have witnessed the preparedness and devotion of the brave and determined man who left numerous memories of his courage and self-sacrifice during the eight-year sacred defense period."
Iranian ex-President Khatami described him as "a selfless commander of Islam and honorable son of Iran."
Legacy
Shirazi has had several streets and buildings named after him, including the Sayed Shirazi Hotel, a 5-star hotel in MashhadMashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
and the Sayad Shirazi Highway in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
.