Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – January 9, 1987

It is four o'clock in the morning and we are at Ahvaz golf course. Mr. Sanjaghi woke me up at 12:15 in the morning and informed me that the advance had begun and four units of Tharullah, Fajr, Ashura and

Seyyed al-Shohda has broken the lines. I got up, took ablution for night prayer. I felt like I was praying. This is the effect of the failure of the previous attack that has made me more aware of God. It must have had the same effect on others. Obviously, I feel the effect of failure in building people and breaking pride in my being and I see this great blessing of God who builds His servants with bitterness and problems and saves them from deviation and neglect.

I have not understood the joy of worship for a long time. The lack of success in the previous operation, which was called Karbala Chahar, was a wake-up call. I read the evening prayer, the Kamil prayer, the morning prayer, and the "Rajin" prayers with enthusiasm.

I slept for two hours and got up for prayer after the morning call to prayer. I was in a state similar to the prison period, which was one of my best mystical states. I feel satisfied with the divine blessings.

At three forty-five minutes [in the morning], Mr. Sanjaqi informed that the two armies of Fajr and Seyyed al-Shohda (a.s.) are advancing well, but Ashura and Tharullah are moving slower, and the army of Imam Reza (a.s.) has also started and Al-Ghadir and Al-Mahdi have also reached the line. If they get a firm foothold before the weather clears, it is possible to continue the operation.

After sunrise, it was reported from Moghadam camp that in a part of the operational area, our forces have gained a strong foothold and are advancing and have captured several bridges built by the enemy in the water and have also captured the northern side of the fish breeding channel.

In Ramadan operation [in 1961], the goal was to cross the Mahi channel, but we did not succeed, and we had attempted several times to capture Shalemcheh and were not successful.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Mr. Rezaei informed that in the pentagonal area of ​​Shalamcheh, our forces have reached the south of the fish channel and captured a number of enemy tanks, and the way for our tanks to pass has been opened, and now we are fighting with tanks, with the enemy on the other side of the flood, and we have taken about 600 prisoners. He is satisfied that they can continue the attack during the day.

In addition, the enemy seems to have moved his cannons from here to the Faw region, either for attack or for defense, as if he was deceived and the enemy's artillery fire and air bombardment are weak. [missile defense system] Haq is also active and so far - at half past ten - two enemy planes have been shot down. By nightfall, we shot down eleven planes. In the last hours of the day, we had a bridgehead in sensitive areas of the enemy's land and we have repelled the enemy's trenches. We have captured fifty tanks and loot carriers and 650 prisoners who have been evacuated to the rear.

Iraq has started attacking the cities and bombed Sosangard and Dezful today, and we announced a similar response. I ordered the ground forces of the army to prepare themselves, to start the attack at the appointed time. In the evening, we went from Dezful on the Ahvaz road to relieve fatigue. We bought lettuce and ate it there.