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Hosseiniyeh Railway Station
Written by: Zahra-Sadat Zoqi
Translated by: Hadi Qorbanyar
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Hosseiniyeh Railway Station is located between Ahvaz and Khorramshahr. During Iraq’s invasion of Iran, it served as a rest stop for troops and a checkpoint for controlling the movement of forces. Hosseiniyeh Station is one of the railway stops on the line between Ahvaz and Khorramshahr, situated 38 kilometers from Khorramshahr in the Bavvi rural district of the Khorramshahr County.[1] The Ahvaz–Khorramshahr railway line was commissioned in 1942.[2] On the southern side of the station, the irrigation canal for Garmdasht village runs from east to west.[3] East of the Ahvaz–Khorramshahr Road and opposite Hosseiniyeh Station, the Shahid Sherkat Road extends towards the Karun River, leading to Dar Khovein village.[4] It connects to the Abadan and Ahvaz roads via the Shahid Hezardastan Bridge.
After the outbreak of the Imposed War on September 22, 1980, and the advance of Iraqi troops into Iranian territory, the artillery unit of the 92nd Armored Division from Ahvaz supported the defenders of Khorramshahr from east of Hosseiniyeh Station. However, by September 26, due to the enemy’s tank advance, they were forced to withdraw east of the Ahvaz–Khorramshahr Road, near the Karun River. Iraq used the Zeyd Checkpoint Road as one of its attack axes. Along with Hosseiniyeh Station, it formed the Hosseiniyeh Junction. The 5th Mechanized Division of the Third Corps of the Iraqi Army captured and occupied the station, thereby advancing up to 15 kilometers towards Ahvaz and threatening Khorramshahr from the north. The Iraqi troops destroyed parts of the station’s facilities and dismantled the railway tracks to fortify their defenses. Hosseiniyeh Station remained under Iraqi occupation until Operation Beit al-Muqaddas in the spring of 1982. After nineteen months of occupation, it was liberated during the second phase of the operation, as Iranian forces reached the Ahvaz–Khorramshahr Road at dawn on May 7, 1982. Muhammad-Mahdi Khadem al-Sharieh, commander of the 21st Imam Reza (as) Brigade, was martyred at Hosseiniyeh Station on May 21, 1982, during this operation.
Holding the station, which was one of the main axes of Operation Beit al-Muqaddas, was vital and critical. After its liberation, the area became a base for the Jahad-e Sazandegi Organization and a center for supporting the troops.
During Operation Ramazan (July 13, 1982), Hosseiniyeh Station was one of the primary axes for attacking the enemy, which contributed to the liberation of the Iraqi Zeyd Checkpoint. Starting at the intersection of Hosseiniyeh Station and the Ahvaz–Khorramshahr Road, a dirt road runs southwest to the border strip and the Iranian border post. It continues north of the Iraqi border guard post called Zeyd Checkpoint, crossing into Iraqi territory along what is known as the Zeyd Road.[5]
During Operation Kheibar (February 22, 1984), this station served as one of the axes for diversionary attacks, enabling Iranian forces to advance and to ease the pressure east of the Tigris and on the Majnoon Islands.[6]
The well-equipped Imam Hussain (as) Field Hospital was built at the beginning of Shahid Sherkat Road, about six kilometers from Hosseiniyeh Station. It remained operational from Operation Karbala 4 (December 24, 1986) until the end of the war,[7] and the wounded were transferred via this station.
Hosseiniyeh Station served as an important and active rear base for Iranian units during Operation Karbala 4 (December 24, 1986), Karbala 5 (January 9, 1987), Karbala 8 (April 7, 1987), and Beit al-Muqaddas 7 (June 12, 1988). A large number of operating units were positioned around the station.
Iraq launched airstrikes against Hosseiniyeh Station on April 9, 1987, and January 13, 1988. A checkpoint was established in the area to control the movements, which remained active until the end of the war. The Hosseiniyeh Junction also had a rest stop for troops, where sometimes communication systems and air defense units were also installed. In addition, the presence of the Karbala Operational Headquarters eight kilometers east of the station, had increased its strategic importance.[8]
On July 22, 1988, Saddam’s army launched another full-scale attack, after the acceptance of UN Resolution 598, to capture Khorramshahr. Iraqi forces advanced along Shahid Sherkat Road, positioning near Hosseiniyeh Station and the Karbala Headquarters.[9] However, within less than 48 hours, Iranian troops forced the Iraqis to retreat.[10]
During the Imposed War, Hosseiniyeh Station functioned as a base for support forces and the Jahad-e Sazandegi Organization. Nowadays, it is one of the sites visited by Rahian-e Noor caravans.[11]
[1] Shirali-Niya, Jafar; Zahedi, Saeid, Qalb-e Moqavemat; Revayat-e Khorramshahr (The Heart of Resistance: The Narrative of Khorramshahr), Tehran: Pelak, 1388, p. 33; Pourjabari, Pezhman, Atlas-e Joghrafiya-ye Hemasi, Vol. 1: Khuzestan dar Jang (Atlas of Epic Geography, Vol. 1: Khuzestan in the War), Tehran: Bonyad-e Hefz-e Asar va Nashr-e Arzeshha-ye Defa Muqaddas, 1389, p. 45.
[2] Ehteshami, Manoochehr, Rah-Ahan dar Iran (Railways in Iran), Tehran: Daftar-e Pazhuheshha-ye Farhangi, 3rd ed., 1387, p. 94.
[3] Shirali-Niya, Jafar; Zahedi, Saeid, Qalb-e Moqavemat; Revayat-e Khorramshahr (The Heart of Resistance: The Narrative of Khorramshahr), Ibid., p. 33.
[4] Shirali-Niya, Jafar; Zahedi, Saeid, Hoor dar Atash; Revayat-e Talaieh va Zeyd (The Marshes in Fire: The Narrative of Talaieh and Zeyd), Tehran: Nasl-e Kosar, 1387, p. 42.
[5] Pourjabari, Pezhman, Atlas-e Joghrafiya-ye Hemasi, Vol. 1 (Atlas of Epic Geography, Vol. 1), Pp. 45–46; Rashid, Mohsen, Atlas-e Jang-e Iran va Araq (Atlas of the Iran–Iraq War), Tehran: Markaz-e Asnad va Tahqiqat-e Defa Muqaddas-e Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, 1379, Pp. 49, 68.
[6] Majalleh-ye Emtedad (Emtedad Journal), Mordad 1385, No. 8, p. 18;
Rashid, Mohsen, Atlas-e Jang-e Iran va Araq (Atlas of the Iran–Iraq War), p. 72.
[7] Shirali-Niya, Jafar; Zahedi, Saeid, Hoor dar Atash; Revayat-e Talaieh va Zeyd (The Marshes in Fire: The Narrative of Talaieh and Zeyd), p. 42.
[8] Pourjabari, Pezhman, Atlas-e Joghrafiya-ye Hemasi, Vol. 1 (Atlas of Epic Geography, Vol. 1), p. 46; Rashid, Mohsen, Atlas-e Jang-e Iran va Araq (Atlas of the Iran–Iraq War), Pp. 76, 77, 79, 108.
[9] Doroudian, Muhammad, Seyri dar Jang-e Iran va Araq, Vol. 5: Payan-e Jang (A Survey of the Iran–Iraq War, Vol. 5: The End of the War), Tehran: Markaz-e Asnad va Tahqiqat-e Defa Muqaddas, 1378, Pp. 175–177.
[10] Moavenat-e Amoozesh va Pazhuhesh-e Anjoman-e Raviyan-e Fath-e Razavi, Ketab-e Kar-e Ravi 1 (Narrator’s Workbook 1), Mashhad: Setareha, 1395, p. 117.
[11] Asoudi, Muhammad-Ali, Rahiyan-e Noor (Khuzestan) (Rahiyan-e Noor [Khuzestan]), Tehran: Nazir, 1380, p. 47.
