Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – April 9, 1987

They woke me up at five in the morning for prayer. We still slept until eight thirty. Yesterday, from dawn until three thirty in the morning today, we were continuously on the road and at the headquarters, and we were very tired. We inquired about the front. They said the enemy launched a counterattack at one point and pushed back the 8th Najaf Division a little, but [Mr. Ahmad Kazemi], the divisional commander, was personally at the front line and they are resisting. Mr. Safavi said the enemy is using heavy pressure with air forces and chemical weapons, and he wanted our air force to respond in kind and move the Hogg [missiles] forward for better defense. It was decided that Dr. Rouhani would give the order. I told Mr. Shamkhani and Kharazi to broadcast war news with more sound and to make the radio situation exceptional. Yesterday, the news was broadcast weakly.

Mr. Col. Hosni Saadi [Army Ground Force Commander] informed that the 81st Division, last night in Qasr Shirin region, attacked the heights of Qarawiz and captured the heights of Babahadi and so far they have taken 25 prisoners from the enemy, but in the other part of the same place, success has not yet been achieved and the war continues.

I heard the parliament's deliberations on the radio. I was worried about the urban land bill; They reached an impasse and kept the bill silent for ten days. At eleven in the morning, I got the latest situation of the fronts. Both in the south and in the west, the Iraqis had pataks, but the internal forces saw the power to repel the pataks.

At eleven o'clock we left for Dezful. On the way, we made a short visit to the roadside summer fields. The wheat and barley of Khuzestan have clustered and turned yellow and will ripen soon. The weather is good. At one o'clock in the afternoon, we entered Dezful Air Base. Lunch was served and we learned about the fronts; Both places were good.

Col. Jamali [deputy commander of the army's ground forces] asked for permission to name the Qasr Shirin area operation Karbala 9; I agreed. As a result of my emphasis this morning to Mr. Kharazi and Shamkhani, the radio advertisements for the operation were good. In the morning and in the evening, the radio had an extraordinary war program.

On the way, we passed through Dasht Abbas, Ain Khosh, Dehlran, Mehran and Saleh Abad and entered Ilam at nine o'clock at night. The plain of Abbas is settled and completely under cultivation, and it is often rainy and has little crop. It is very useful. Ain Khosh was destroyed during the Iraqi occupation and is completely ruined and empty. Dehlran is semi-ruined and empty; But government offices have a symbolic presence. The road between Dehlran and Mehran is military and the people are on the north side of the road. Mehran is completely destroyed and the streets are damaged by bombs and bullets. The people of Ilam live in the valleys of the mountains and forests, and they are given living and even administrative facilities by the administrations and the governorate. The city is empty, but most of the streets are lit and some houses are occupied.

We stayed at the governor's guest house. Only the governor - Mr. Mirshah Voled - and his political deputy - Mr. Hosseini - were informed of our presence until half past ten, when we inquired about the situation in the province. They said that the people of Ilam city and the entire province are very resistant and loyal to the revolution, and they welcome the problems of bombing and the pressure of war well and do not bow their eyebrows. Some have been migrants for years and live in deserts and under tents. The governor said that about five hundred tons of turpentine have been collected from forest trees and they want to export it. They are satisfied with the condition of agriculture and animal husbandry. The waters are not used well and the rivers of the province go to Iraq. They have a plan to contain the waters, but they are not valid. The important problem is the recent urban bombings and the unemployment of seasonal workers, which has been partially compensated with a 35 million toman loan.

At the end of the night, Mr. Hosni Saadi informed that the Iraqis had made a heavy attack at the height of Baba Hadi and the war was continuing. Usually, Iraq did not have a potak at night. There is a lot of confusion and panic. We also got Iraqi TV night. Their news is weak and passive. They have kept people busy with obscene and immoral movies.