The Lorestan 84th Infantry Division, a unit of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces, is headquartered in Khorramabad, the capital of Lorestan Province. The division played an active role during the Iran– Iraq War.

The history of the 84th Division goes back about a century. In 1922, as part of the unified army structure formed after the 1921 coup, the Western Division of Iran was established, with its 1st Brigade stationed in Khorramabad. Later, in 1942, under the new army structure, this brigade was upgraded to a division and operated under the name 5th Division.⁠[1]

After the dissolution of the Lorestan Division in 1963, a new unit, the 44th Sanbad Brigade, was formed and deployed to Khorasan. In 1971, the brigade was redeployed to Khorramabad and renamed the Independent 84th Brigade of Khorramabad. It consisted of the 111th, 139th, and 182nd battalions. In May 1978, the 244th Tank Battalion was added to strengthen its combat capability.

One of the brigade’ s most important missions before the Islamic Revolution was its deployment to the Dhofar War in Oman in 1975, where it served for four months.⁠[2]

After the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979 and the onset of internal unrest, the 84th Brigade was tasked with helping restore security. Its first mission came in February 20, 1979, when the 111th Battalion was sent to Urmia. Also, in August 1979, the 139th Battalion was deployed to Kurdistan, where it helped prevent the fall of the Saqqez Garrison and secure the surrounding routes. The 111th, 139th, and 182nd battalions were sent to Paveh and Nosood five more times until 1980.⁠[3]

With the start of the Iran– Iraq War, units of the 84th Brigade defended a 100‑kilometer front in the Dehloran region, slowing the enemy’ s advance. The brigade later took defensive positions in the northern heights of Dasht‑e Abbas.⁠[4]

The 84th Brigade took part in the series of operations to liberate Khuzestan. On November 30, 1981, during Operation Tariq al‑Quds, the brigade was deployed to the northern bank of the Karkheh River, where it joined the Quds Headquarters alongside the 2nd Brigade of the 92nd Armored Division and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) units.⁠[5] Together, they liberated the city of Bostan and freed around 600 square kilometers of occupied land, reaching the international border in the Hoor al‑Azim region.⁠[6]

The 84th Brigade also participated in Operation Fath al‑Mubin in March 1982.⁠[7] Under the direction of Quds Headquarters, the brigade’ s mission was to seize Ein-Khosh and Abu Gharib while holding Iraqi forces back from entering Dasht-e Abbas.⁠[8] The operation liberated 2,200 square kilometers of occupied territory from Ein‑Khosh to Fakkeh.⁠[9] The 84th Brigade played a key role in freeing Dasht‑e Abbas, Ein‑Khosh, Abu Gharib, and Moosian.⁠[10]

In Operation Muharram in 1982, the brigade fought west of Ein‑Khosh, helping liberate around 550 square kilometers of occupied land in northwestern Khuzestan.⁠[11] It also took part in Operation Valfajr‑e Muqaddamati in February 1983 in the Mishdaq area.⁠[12]

Operation Valfajr 1, launched in April 1983, saw the brigade operate under the Najaf Headquarters, deploying five infantry battalions and a single artillery battalion.⁠[13] The brigade also joined Operation Valfajr 3, which took place in the Zaloo-Aab Heights in August 1983.⁠[14]

In 1984, the 84th Brigade was upgraded to the Lorestan 84th Operational Division.⁠[15]

After the fall of Mehran, Operation Karbala 1 was launched on June 30, 1986, with IRGC units and the 84th Division. The operation liberated Mehran and the Qalavizan Heights.⁠[16] The division participated with two infantry battalions, one tank battalion, and one artillery battalion.⁠[17]

The division also took part in Operation Karbala 6 in northern Sumar in January 1987.⁠[18]

In 1987, the division’ s combat structure expanded to include two brigades, each with three infantry battalions, and the formation of a two-battalion artillery command increased the division’ s combat power.⁠[19] The division’ s final wartime deployment came on July 25, 1988, when Iraq launched a heavy attack in the Mamak region, where the units of the 84th Division helped stop the enemy’ s advance.⁠[20]

During the Iran– Iraq War, 2,082 personnel of the 84th Division were martyred. Of the 1,842 whose service status is known, 210 were career soldiers, and 1,632 were conscripts.⁠[21] Among the most notable martyrs serving in the 84th Division were Colonel Hooshang Rostami, deputy commander of the 2nd Brigade; Major Shahmorad Naqdi, commander of the 139th Infantry Battalion; Colonel Mir‑Beig Rashnavi, commander of the 182nd Infantry Battalion; and Major Ali-Reza Fathollahi, commander of the 139th Infantry Battalion.⁠[22]

After the war, units of the 84th Division were stationed in the Sumar region until the mid‑1990s. During this period, the division’ s engineering units worked to clear minefields left from the war. By 1997, all units had returned to Lorestan.⁠[23]

In 2011, under the Thamen Plan, the division’ s brigades became independent units known as the 184th and 284th brigades, though they remain operationally under the 84th Division Headquarters.⁠[24]

From 1980 to 1988, the 84th Division was commanded by Colonel Eskandar Beyranvand, Colonel Muhammad‑Ali Sharif al-Nasab, Colonel Noor al‑Din Maki, Colonel Nejat‑Ali Sadeqi‑Gooya, Colonel Bahman Shahidi, and Colonel Morteza Muhammadi.⁠[25] Second Brigadier General Morad Khosh‑Kenar is the current commander of the division.⁠[26]