Parents Seyyed Hedayat Jahanara Role Commando | Name Mohammad Jahanara Nickname(s) Mohammad Jahanara | |
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Born 31 August 1954
Khorramshahr, Khuzestan, Iran ( 1954-08-31 ) Rank Major General
(Persian: سرلشکر) Battles/wars Iran–Iraq War
Battle of Khorramshahr
Siege of Abadan Died September 29, 1981, Kahrizak, Iran Allegiance Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution Commands held Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution Battles and wars Iran–Iraq War, Battle of Khorramshahr, Siege of Abadan | ||
Native name سید محمد علی جهان آرا | ||
Mohammad Ali Jahan Ara (Persian: محمدعلی جهانآرا) also known as Mohammad Jahanara (Persian: محمد جهانآرا) was an Iranian commander of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution and one of the main commanders in Battle of Khorramshahr in the Iran-Iraq War. He is a war hero and an icon of Iran-Iraq war. He also was one of the major commanders who fought against Arab separatists in 1979 Khuzestan uprising. Jahanara's commanded Revolutionary Guards and Iranian Navy Commandos (Takavaran) defended Iranian port city of Khorramshahr but after weeks of street fighting the city captured by Iraqis. He is considered by Iranians as the symbol of Iranian resistance (Persian: نماد ایستادگی ایران). He and other commanders of Iran-Iraq war such as Valiollah Fallahi, Yousef Kolahdouz, Javad Fakouri, and Mousa Namjoo were killed in a plane incident when the Iranian Air Force Lockheed C-130 crashed, in the city of Kahrizak near Tehran.
Contents
History
Jahanara was born on 31 August 1954 in Khoramshahr, Khozestan. He started his political and religious activities with some of his friends in Khoramshahr's Imam Sadegh mosque when he was 15 years old. In 1971, Jahanara and his brother joined the secret group of "Hezbollah", which was involved in a political campaign against the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, in Khoramshahr. 2 years later, members of Hezbollah group was identified and arrested by SAVAK, and Jahanara was sentenced to one year in prison.
After graduating from high school in 1975, Jahanara went to the Tabriz School of Business and continued his political activities. He eventually joined the armed militant "Mansoron" group. Jahanara was involved in political activities in different cities such as Tehran, Kashan, Ghom, Yazd, and Isfahan. SAVAK killed his brother, Ali Jahanara, in 1978. In spring and summer of 1978, Jahanara was responsible for dispatching a group to Syria and Palestine for participation in special militant training. Jahanara actively participated in the 1979 Revolution in his birthplace. After the victory of the Iranian Revolution and establishment of AGIR in 1980, he was selected as commander of Khoramshahr AGIR and established the Jihad of Construction (Persian:جهاد سازندگی) in Khoramshahr. He was married to a woman named Akbarnejad in 1979.
Battle of Khorramshahr
The Battle of Khorramshahr was a major engagement between Iraq and Iran in the Iran-Iraq War. The battle started from September 22 until November 10, 1980. Known for its brutality and violent conditions, the city came to be known by the Iranians as Khuninshahr, meaning "City of Blood". The Pasdaran commander, Mohammed Jahanara, was one of the last few soldiers to leave Khorramshahr when it fell to the Iraqis. He would go on to fight in the Siege of Abadan and lead Iranian forces to liberate Khorramshahr. He died before the city was liberated on May 24. A popular song was later written in his commemoration, saying, "Mamad, you weren't here to see that our city is liberated."