| Ali Sayad Shirazi | |
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General Ali Sayad Shirazi |
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| Nickname | "The Iron Man"[1] ("Mard-e-Foulad") |
| Born | 1944 Kaboud Gonbad, Iran |
| Died | 1999 (55) Tehran, Iran |
| Allegiance | Military of Iran |
| Service/branch | Islamic Republic of Iran Army |
| Years of service | 1964 - 1999 |
| Rank | General Chief of Staff |
| Unit | Armoured Corps |
| Commands held | Islamic Republic of Iran Army |
| Battles/wars | Iran–Iraq War Operation Undeniable Victory Operation Zafar 7 Operation Nasr-4 Operation Mersad |
| Awards | the Fath (Conquest) medal[1] |
Ali Sayad Shirazi (1944–1999) (Persian: علی صياد شیرازی) was chief-of-staff of the Iranian forces during Iran's 8-year war with Iraq. He was assassinated in 1999. Prior to that, he had a central role in suppressing the armed rebellion in Kordestan province in 1979.
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Shirazi was born in Kaboud Gonbad in 1944. His father being a non-commissioned officer in the Army motivated him to join and in 1964 he joined as a cadet. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Artillery and in 1974 he was sent to the United States for drill and educating. When he returned to his homeland Iran he demonstrated against The Shah and joined the Islamic revolution. Therefore he was sacked from his commission and jailed by the Shah. After the revolution he served in the Iranian army and became a general. [2]
During the Iran–Iraq War Sayad Shirazi became one of the most important generals of Iran. In 1981, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini appointed him commander of the Ground Forces of the Iranian Army. In 1982, he did something that made him famous, he led the Iranian Pasdaran and Basij soldiers to victory in the Iranian Operation Undeniable Victory, this was the first time Iran was able to defeat Iraq in a major battle, Iran broke through Iraq's "impenetrable" defense lines and expelled them from the Dezful-Shush area, this operation is considered by many as the turning point in the war. During Iran's attempt to capture Basra with Operation Ramadan Shirazi was said: We will continue the war until Saddam Hussein is overthrown so that we can pray at Karbala and Jerusalem. In 1988, the People's Mujahedin of Iran with help of Saddam Hussein attacked West-Iran and battled Iranian forces for Kermanshah. Iran smashed them with their counter offensive: Operation Mersad, which was led by Brigadier-General Ali Sayad Shirazi.[2] In 1989, Shirazi was awarded the highest military distinction in the Iranian armed forces, the Fath (Conquest) medal.[1]
On April 10, 1999, 6:45 local time Shirazi was assassinated, just outside his house when he was going to work. The People's Mujahedin of Iran (MKO) claimed responsibility for the assassination of Sayyad Shirazi, they said it was revenge for destroying their then powerful army in Operation Mersad. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in his message on Shirazi's martyrdom said:
"The faithful and brave commander of the Islamic army and devoted soldier of the religion and the holy Qur'an attained martyrdom at the hands of the criminal, bloodthirsty and disgraced hypocrites. This is not the first nor the last time a faithful and lover of the lofty ideas of the divine faith has been martyred by the dirty, criminal and corrupt hands of those mercenaries who have to earn their livelihood only through serving the enemies of Islam. The hot plains of Khuzestan and the high mountains of Kurdestan have witnessed the preparedness and devotion of the brave and determined man who left numerous memories of his courage and self-sacrifice during the eight-year sacred defense period."[2]
Iranian ex-President Khatami described him as "a selfless commander of Islam and honorable son of Iran."[1]
Shirazi has had several streets and buildings named after him, including the Sayed Shirazi Hotel, a 5-star hotel in Mashhad [3] and the Sayad Shirazi Highway in Tehran.[4]
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