Lessons of the Liberation of Khorramshahr as Iran Marches Forward

Date: 23 May 2018 - 21:08

News ID: ۵۳۳۲۱

By: S. Nawabzadeh

It is an undeniable fact that ever since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has been the target of the most intricate plots and the most unjust sanctions, which means the latest threats of the quixotic Donald Trump and his team of thugs, including Pompeo’s tantrums of "very painful-ever sanctions in history” if the Islamic Republic does not surrender to the Great Satan, are not new for a nation that has achieved spectacular success in almost all fields over the past four decades as it continues to march undeterred towards the pinnacles of progress.
Today, the 36th anniversary of the memorable victory of Iran’s combatants that liberated the port city of Khorramshahr from the well-greased war machine of Saddam’s western and eastern backed regime, serves as a warning to all would-be aggressors of the fate reserved for them if they make any wrong move.
To be fair and frank, Iran from its experience of history, doesn’t have any trust in the words, promises, commitments, treaties and pacts of those with a record of hostility against it, and was fully prepared for Washington’s shameless breach of the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action), which did not come as a shock.
Hence it has made all the necessary preparations for any eventuality, fully aware that the UN and its agencies, which were very unfair from the very outset, even during the critical period of Saddam’s 8-year US-imposed war, cannot be counted upon for any impartial stance, because of American pressures upon them.
As Muslims, we rely upon the Lord Most High and follow His commandments, without being overawed by the supposed might of our enemies, and without yielding any ground to them.  "Prepare against them whatever you can of [military] power and war-horses, awing thereby the enemy of Allah, and your enemy, and others besides them, whom you do not know, but Allah knows them. And whatever you spend in the way of Allah will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged.” (Holy Qur’an 8:60)
This does not mean we have no faith in diplomacy. On the contrary, the Islamic Republic of Iran is famous for its diplomatic skills, its political acumen, its patient negotiations, and its prudent parleys, all of which are proofs of its goodwill, and at the same time its determination to promote Islamic values, protect national sovereignty, preserve territorial integrity, proceed with upgrading of its legitimate defence and other technological requirements, and prevent any adventurism in the region by any outside power, any client regime, or any terrorist group, detrimental to the peace, progress and prosperity of the Iranian people and their neighbours.
We, however, fully abide by the Holy Qur’an when it says: "And if they incline toward peace, then you [too] incline toward it, and put your trust in Allah. Indeed He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (8:61)
Yet, we all remember the UN’s unwarranted call for ceasefire when heads of several Muslim states collectively came to Tehran to exert pressure for ending the war and showing ‘Islamic’ sympathy to Saddam, who had invaded the Islamic Republic in the sacred month of Zilhijja and was refusing to withdraw even an inch from occupied Iranian territory.
God bless the Father of the Islamic Revolution when he expressed those famous words: "An imposed peace is worse than an imposed war”. Imam Khomeini’s phrase ought to be written in letters of gold. It dampened the plots of the compromisers, whether at home or abroad. It brought to the fore the Basiji spirit of the nation to salvage the prestige of Iran. It was inspiration for the Iranians against giving ground to the enemy that was supported militarily by both the Capitalist West and the Communist East, while its bankrollers were Saudi Arabia and the other oil-rich Persian Gulf Arab regimes, who today have turned into milch cows for the US and the Zionists by destabilizing Yemen and Syria. If not for the firm resolve of that Sage who delivered Iranians from domestic despotism and foreign hegemony, any inclination towards ceasefire in those crucial days would have fragmented Iran and re-imposed US tentacles, with Khuzestan and border areas lost forever, while the so-called peace talks with Saddam bearing no fruits – similar to the chronic questions of Kashmir and Palestine.
In view of these facts, the 36th anniversary of the victorious Bayt al-Moqaddas Operations, freshens our memory regarding so many unforgettable facts including the words of the present Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who in those days as President of the country used to visit the frontlines, clad in military fatigues. He has noted in his diary:  "The liberation of Khorramshahr in 1361 (1982) was a great victory. It was an impressive achievement, significant in all aspects from its political and social, to military repercussions. People from all over Iran contributed to its liberation. Such instances demonstrate the impressive national and international dimensions of this victory. Imam Khomeini (RA) was a great mentor. As soon as this major event took place and as soon as the first signs (of vanity) were noticed in the spirits of the people, he detected the problem and provided a remedy in the early hours of the victory, by reminding us, "Khorramshahr was liberated by God.” He wanted to prevent our soldiers and commanders from self-conceit. He sought to avert our political figures from being boastful. Imam Khomeini focused on the ayahs of the Holy Qur’an: "You did not slew them; rather it was Allah who slew them; and you did not throw (spears) when you threw, rather it was Allah who threw, that He might test the faithful with a good test from Himself. Indeed Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” To sum up, whether or not JCPOA holds, the Islamic Republic of Iran continues the path it has chosen in the interests of its people and for the sake of regional peace and Islamic unity, confident of its capabilities and with full trust in God, Who has bestowed an enlightened and farsighted leader in Ayatollah Khamenei to ably guide the nation – much to the chagrin of the satanic powers who cannot do a damn thing.