The 32nd Ansar al-Hussain (as) Division
Written by: Sajjad Naderipour

Translated by: Hadi Qorbanyar
The operational 32nd Ansar al-Hussain (as) Division is one of the units of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Ground Force that took part in more than fifty operations during the Iran-Iraq War.

In early 1983, Brigadier General Hussain Hamedani (martyred) was tasked with organizing the IRGC and Basij forces of Hamedan Province involved in the war by establishing a brigade.⁠[1] At first, the brigade was named after Shahih Madani, but it was later renamed Ansar al-Hussain (as). The brigade’s battalions were also named after the companions of Imam Hussain (as).⁠[2]

At the time of its establishment, the brigade’s command council consisted of Hussain Hamedani (commander), Saeed Eslamian (deputy commander), Saeed Badami (head of the command office), and Jafar Mazaheri (deputy for planning and operations). The brigade’s battalions were as follows:

1-The Moslim ibn Aqil Battalion, code 151: composed of forces from Malayer, commanded by Mohsen Zamani with Hassan Tajouk as deputy, who was martyred in 1988 in the Gardeh-Rash Heights;

2-The Hazrat Abolfazl (as) Battalion, code 152: composed of forces from Nahavand, commanded by Jalal Fotovat with Mirza Muhammad Selgi as deputy;

3-The Qasem ibn al-Hassan (as) Battalion, code 153: composed of forces from Tuyserkan, commanded by Mohsen Ein-Ali (martyred) with Mohsen Torkashvand as deputy;

4-The Hazrat Ali-Akbar (as) Battalion, code 154: composed of forces from Hamedan and Bahar, commanded by Seyyed Hussain Samavat (martyred) with Muhammad Hajilouei (martyred) as deputy;

5-The Hazrat Ali-Asghar (A) Battalion, code 155: composed of forces from Hamedan County, Asadabad, and Kabudarahang, commanded by Reza Mirzaei;

6-The Hurr ibn Riyahi Battalion, code 156: composed of forces from Hamedan and surrounding areas, commanded by Mohsen Omidi.⁠[3]

Among the important actions of the Hameden IRGC units in the early days of the war were preventing the fall of Sarpol-e Zahab on September 25, 1980, and liberating the Qaraviz, Tapp-e Jangali, and Tappe-e Tokhmomorghi heights.⁠[4]

During the Iran–Iraq War, the IRGC and Basij forces of the province participated in more than thirty offensive operations, both large and small. These included: Shahid Akbar Farajian-Zadeh (1980), Zil Heights (1980), Bazi-Deraz Avval (1981), Shahid Rajaei and Bahonar (1981), the capture of Dezli Heights (1981), Muhammad Rasulullah (pbuh) (1982), Jegar Muhammadlou (1982), Qouch-Sultan (1982), the capture of the Rezaabad, Bani-Sheitan, and Zozanaqeie Heights (1982), Tharallah (as) (1982), Moslim ibn Aqil (1982), Muharram (1982), Valfajr 2 (1983), Valfajr 3 (1983), Tahrir al-Quds (1984), Valfajr 5 (1984), Meimak (1984), Qader (1985), and Mersad (1988) in the western and northwestern Iran. They also took part in other operations, including the liberation of Susangerd (1980), Thamen al-Aemmah (as) (1981), Fath al-Mubin (1982), Beit al-Muqaddas (1982), Ramazan (1982), Kheibar (1984), Badr (1985), Valfajr 8 and its follow-up operation Ansar (1986), Karbala 4 (1986), Karbala 5 (1987), the follow-up to Karbala 5 (1987), Karbala 8 (1987), Nasr 4 (1987), and Beit al-Muqaddas 2 (1988).⁠[5] The brigade’s forces also participated in more than twenty defensive missions.⁠[6]

The 32nd Ansar al-Hussain (as) Brigade also participated in Operation Valfajr 8 in the Al-Faw Peninsula. During a heavy Iraqi counterattack on the Umm al-Qasr Road, the forces of the 154th Hazrat Ali-Akbar (as) Battalion replaced those of the 27th Division and succeeded in pushing the enemy back. Having failed on the ground, Iraqi forces resorted to chemical weapons and used them extensively.⁠[7]

Another period in which the Ansar al‑Hussain (as) Brigade of Hamedan was active in the war was the spring of 1986. In that year, the Hamedan IRGC units responsible for defending the southern Majnoon Island faced numerous but limited enemy assaults, to the point that the island was on the verge of falling. By calling in the 154th Hazrat Ali-Akbar (as) Battalion to the island and with the help of other forces present, the Iranians attacked the enemy from three directions, killing or capturing the frontline troops. By carrying out this operation and eliminating the threat from the island’s western embankment, the Hamedan units prevented the enemy from conducting engineering work and constructing a road intended to encircle the Majnoon Islands. Their action ultimately averted the fall of both the southern and northern islands.⁠[8] During this operation, Hajj Reza Shokripour, commander of the 154th Battalion, and several commanders of the battalion were martyred.⁠[9]

After this operation, the Ansar al-Hussain (as) Brigade was upgraded to a division.⁠[10]

The Allah-Akbar Garrison in Eslamabad-e Gharb, Abu Zar in Sarpol-e Zahab, and Shahid Shahbaz in Chahar Zebar in Kermanshah Province,⁠[11] as well as the Doukuheh Garrison in Khuzestan Province,⁠[12] were among the most important bases that hosted the Hamedan IRGC forces.

Out of the total personnel of the 32nd Ansar al-Hussain (as) Division, 2,500 Basij members and 1,500 IRGC personnel were martyred during the eight years of the Iran-Iraq War.⁠[13]

After the end of the war, the division’s presence in the border areas of Kermanshah Province continued. As the Resistance Front began its engagements against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, forces from this division were likewise deployed to Syria. Duringthese engagements, 14 members of the Hamedan IRGC, including Brigadier General Hussain Hamedani, were martyred.⁠[14]

Today, the 32nd Ansar al-Hussain (as) Division operates at brigade strength and is stationed in Hamedan, under the command of Colonel Ali Rasti.⁠[15]

Among the books published about the 32nd Ansar al‑Hussain (as) Division are Mahtab‑e Khin (Moonlight of Khin) and Poutinha-ye Ashena (Familiar Boots) from Fatehan Publications; Yek Joreh Aftab (A Sip of Sunlight) from Shahed Publications; Sirab as Atash-e Eshq (Satiated with the Thirst of Love) and Gomnam Mesel-e Man (Unknown Like Me) from Abed Publications; Aqa Mosayeb (Mr. Mosayeb) from Shokouh‑e Afarinesh Publications; Ba Aflakiyan dar Jaadeha-ye Eshq (With the Celestials on the Roads of Love) from Barkat‑e Kowsar Publications; Moalem-e Eshq (Teacher of Love) from Sarir Publications; Farhangname-ye Javdaneha-ye Tarikh (Encyclopedia of the Immortals of History) from Shahed Publications; Akharin Mamouryat (The Final Mission) from Akhtar Publications; Vasaya-ye Kamel-e Shuhada-ye Ostan-e Hamedan (The Wills of the Martyrs of Hamedan Province) from Shahed Publications; and Az Qaraviz ta Mersad (From Qaraviz to Mersad) from the Foundation for the Preservation and Publication of Sacred Defense Values.