Welcome to the 22nd edition of this series. In the previous program we talked about Samen Al-A'imma operation, the first major operation in war with Saddam regime one year after the breakout of the imposed war.

The first year of the war from September 1980 to September 1981 was the year of political and military developments in Iran. The nature of many political figures and currents who had ensconced themselves in the ranks of the revolutionary forces was exposed to the public. The US enmity towards the Islamic Revolution and Saddam’s invasion on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s territory separated ranks of the revolutionaries who were loyal to Imam Khomeini and the ideals of the Revolution, from liberals who supported the west and western values. As a result of this separation, the first Iranian President Bani Sadr, after dismissal, fled to France along with Masoud Rajavi ringleader of the terrorist outfit MKO. Then, the MKO terrorists shifted to armed operations and martyred hundreds of political, security and military officials as well as ordinary citizens. During this political imbroglio, all political and military organs and people considered war and fighting aggressors as the most important threat against the country and the Islamic system. Samen Al-A'imma operation, as the first major operation, began for liberating the lands under the occupation of Saddam’s Baathist army and ended in breaking the siege of the strategic city of Abadan. The operation was carried out in view of experiences of one-year war with the Baathist army. In the first year of the war, several limited operations were launched but, due to disharmony between the forces of the army and the IRGC and inability to confront a classical army failed or did not achieve all of their goals.  

Abadan's significance for Iran, apart from the geopolitical and strategic position, had an ideological background, too. Iraq invaded Iran with the goal of overthrowing the Islamic Republic of Iran within 48 hours. But after stopping its war machine in the face of stiff resistance of the Iranian selfless combatants, it made itself content with demanding for minimal seizure of land, in this case, besieging Abadan. In this way, Saddam hoped to cancel the 1975 Algiers Treaty and annex Arvand River to the Iraqi territory. This required occupation of Abadan. Therefore, the status of Abadan in Saddam's ambitious horizon was far higher than Khorramshahr. In the first days of the war, about 13 kilometers of the banks of Karun River and the same area to the south of Mahshahr-Abadan road were occupied by the Iraqi Baathist army. So, the two important Ahwaz-Abadan and Mahshahr-Abadan roads were also occupied by Iraq. Stationing of defensive facilities and fortifications along with three brigades of armored divisions 3 and 111, and four infantry battalions and five artillery battalions showed the strategic importance of this region for Iraq. The military commanders and political officials of the Islamic Republic knew the importance of Abadan to the Iraqi regime. But the most enlightening guidelines, as always, would be given by Imam Khomeini. Were there not the warnings of Imam Khomeini during the second month of the war to prevent the fall of Abadan, this city would face the fate of Khorramshahr. Imam Khomeini (God's mercy upon him), in a message on November 5, 1980 said: “I am waiting for breaking the siege of Abadan and I warned the IRGC, the security forces and their commanders that the siege should be broken. It must not be neglected. It must be broken. It mustn't be thought that if they come, we will put them out. If they come, they will inflict losses on us. Do not let them enter Abadan." In his order to military commanders, Imam Khomeini used the word ‘must’ several times. This particular wording of the Imam's order showed the importance of breaking Abadan's siege.

The designer of Samen Al-A'imma operation was a 25-year-old man named Gholam Hussein Afshordi (Hassan Baqeri, as he was known by his security name). The outline of the operation had been raised in the Supreme Council of Defense months before the start of the operation by Yousef Kolahdooz, the IRGC deputy commander. Following the dismissal of Bani Sadr from the post of commander-in-chief, the political and military conditions were prepared for the operation. The genius and creativity of thousands of youths with revolutionary motives materialized in various fields of warfare. Without any doubt, Hassan Baqeri was one of these geniuses. Martyr Baqeri left an unmatched role and an indelible memory as a commander. The unique talents of martyr Baqeri were flourished in the war. He was the founder of some of basic structures of the warfare such as intelligence and the combat section of IRGC. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Hassan Baqeri chose journalism as his profession and he took a trip to Lebanon and Jordan for gathering reports on the situation of Muslims over there. Due to the moves of anti-revolutionary forces in border provinces, he joined the IRGC. Three months after the invasion of Saddam's regime, Hassan Baqeri was elected as one of the deputy commanders of South Operational Headquarters. He played an effective role in designing and implementing several operations. The great Samen Al-A'imma operation was carried out on four axes, and the command of one of the most important axes called the Darkhovein was ceded to martyr Baqeri.   

Martyr Hassan Baqeri organized his forces in Dar Khovein within 11 combat groups and he made wireless calls with them. In the second phase, he let his forces participate in reconnaissance to fully understand the details of the operation. The enemy had created 8 defensive ranks in Darkhovein. He planned to get around enemy lines and reach them from behind. Hassan Baqeri's argument was that an Iraqi armored division relies on two bridges on Karun River and with the destruction of the bridges, the enemy will be besieged. Therefore, his forces attacked the 6th armored brigade headquarters at Kasaba bridge, and controlled the bridge and the enemy's base. He designed another plan and made fire with pouring oil into Salmaniyeh waterway directed the fire towards Karun River and took the initiative from the enemy. The role of martyr Baqeri was very influential in several major operations after, Samen Al-A'imma including Operation Al-Quds, Fat'h al-Mubin, and Bayt ul-Muqaddas which led to the liberation of the city of Khorramshahr. According to martyr Ayatollah Motahhari, "Great spirit is different from magnanimity. Magnanimity is higher than great spirit." Ayatollah Motahhari believes that both Alexander of Macedonia and Nader Shah of Iran had great spirits, but they were not magnanimous.

But everyone who reads the history of the sacred defence understands that the people like the martyred commander Hassan Baqeri and many other brave commanders and ordinary forces had both great spirit and magnanimity, and would abstain from the tiniest sins as they were the servants of God and not their carnal desires. According to Imam Ali (PBUH): The only reason for this is that the world is small in their eyes.

FK/RM/MG