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Ali Sayad Shirazi

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Ali Sayad Shirazi was a very important leader in the Iranian military.

Ali Sayad Shirazi & Mohsen Rezaee
Ali Sayad Shirazi & Mohsen Rezaee

He was born on June 13, 1944, in a place called Dargaz, Iran. His family had roots in the Afshar people. His ancestors came from Isthabanat and Neyriz in the Fars province. After he was born, his family moved to Mashhad for two years. Later, they lived in Mazandaran in cities like Gorgan, Amol, and Gonbad Kavous. He went to Amirkabir High School in Tehran. His father was a non-commissioned officer in the army. This inspired Ali to join the military as a cadet in 1964.

Shirazi worked his way up through many ranks. He became a second lieutenant in the artillery. In 1974, he went to the United States for more training. When he returned, he joined movements against the Shah. During the Iranian revolution, he served in the 64th Infantry Division in Urmia. He eventually reached the rank of lieutenant general. He was a key commander during the Iran–Iraq War. In 1981, leader Ruhollah Khomeini made him the commander of the Iranian Army. He was known for having very strong views on how to fight the war.

He led many big military operations during the war. In 1982, he led the Revolutionary Guards and Basij forces. They won a major battle called Operation Undeniable Victory. This battle broke through defense lines in the Dezful-Shush area. Many people say this was the turning point of the war. In 1988, he led Operation Mersad to defeat MEK forces in Kermanshah. He also led successful missions like Operation Zafar 7 and Operation Nasr-4. In 1989, he received the Fath medal. This is the highest honor in the Iranian armed forces.

Order of Fat'h (1st Class)
Order of Fat'h (1st Class)

Sometimes, leaders in the government had disagreements. In July 1986, Shirazi and Mohsen Rezaee clashed over war strategies. Their disagreement became public knowledge. The supreme leader met them to ask for unity. He told them they must work together as one force. Shortly after this meeting, Shirazi was removed from his post. He was no longer the commander of the ground forces. However, he continued to work in different staff roles for the military.

On April 10, 1999, a sad event happened to Shirazi. An assassin from the MEK group killed him outside his house. The person was disguised as a street sweeper. Many people came to his state funeral to say goodbye.

Funeral of General Sayyad Shirazi
Funeral of General Sayyad Shirazi

Different leaders called him an honorable son of Iran. Today, his name is remembered in many ways. There are streets, buildings, and even a subway station named after him in Tehran. He remains a famous figure in Iranian history.

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🖼️ Images & Media (3)
File:Order of Fat'h (1st Class).svg
Order of Fat'h (1st Class).svg
File:Ali Sayad Shirazi & Mohsen Rezaee.jpg
Ali Sayad Shirazi & Mohsen Rezaee.jpg
File:Funeral of General Sayyad Shirazi.jpg
Funeral of General Sayyad Shirazi.jpg
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