Jasem Ghazbanpour's narration of the first day of the war in Khorramshahr
Oral History Website - On the eve of the 46th anniversary of the start of the imposed war against Iran by Iraq, we intended to visit one of the photographers of the Sacred Defense era and record a different narrative of the first days of the conflict in the south of the country. Who better than southern photographers! Southern artists who unwittingly became involved in bitter and difficult experiences in their teens and learned ...Bakhtiari Narrator of Minab School
From the Mobile Procession to a Month of Sympathy
Our martyred leader had said, “You narrate the truths of your own society, your own country, and your revolution. If you do not narrate, the enemy will narrate. If you do not narrate the revolution, the enemy will narrate. If you do not narrate the incident of the Sacred Defense, the enemy will narrate. He will justify it however, he wants.The Story of the First Sacred Defense Book Award
An Interview with Mohammad-Qasem Foroughi Jahromi
The Oral History website conducted a two-hour interview in October-November 2025 with Mohammad-Qasem Foroughi Jahromi regarding the process of establishing the “First Selection of the Best Sacred Defense Book” award. Shortly after he began his work at the Foundation for the Preservation of Sacred Defense Works and Values, he had proposed the idea of holding this award to Engineer Mehdi Chamran, the then...Ramadan War
The Story of a Street Classroom
When the city square becomes a school desk
While many schools have been facing closures under wartime conditions, one teacher, guided by a spirit of sacrifice and a deep sense of professional responsibility, has chosen a different path. In this interview, Ms. Samira Gheybi speaks about how she has been imparting knowledge to her students, helping them overcome fear, and trying to preserve ...Ramadan War
An Interview with Members of an Iraqi Mawkib Present at the Gatherings in Tehran
In early Farvardin (late March), while moving between the nightly gatherings in Khaghani Square, a booth set up on the corner of the square caught my attention. It was adorned with photographs of the martyrs of the Resistance Front, Ayatollah Sistani, and numerous flags.Frank E. Maestrone
Consul and Principal Officer in Khorramshahr in 1960-62
Frank E. Maestrone was born in Massachusetts in 1922. He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1943. He was a first lieutenant in the United States Army from 1943 to 1946. Frank E. Maestrone joined the State Department in 1948 and served in Austria, Germany, Egypt, Kuwait, and the Philippines. Mr. Hank Zivetz interviewed Mr. Maestrone in 1989.Oral history education should not rely on individuals
Today, training is considered by the oral history experts as a key issue. According to Dr. “Ali Tattari”, oral history education needs to be processed in universities so that, by approving regulations and guidelines, the education of this science does not rely on individuals and does not suffer from a crisis with the slightest change in the country's political and economic climate.Scientific Secretary of the "Fourth National Conference on Oral History of Sacred Defense":
Critique Oral History Works to Prevent Repetition of Past Errors
The call for papers for the Fourth National Conference on Oral History of Sacred Defense and Resistance comes at a time when over 30 years of experience in publishing oral histories of the war have accumulated. Given the substantial quantity and quality of these works, it is now time for a thorough critique and evaluation.Qasemipour:
Oral History Does Not Belong to the Realm of Literature
Over twenty years have passed since the advent and expansion of oral history in Iran, yet "the proper method for documenting oral history interviews" remains a pressing concern for practitioners in this field. In the following interview, we explore the most scientifically sound approach to compiling oral histories. Mohammad Qasemi-Pour answers our questions on this matter.Behnaz Zarrabizadeh:
Study and Research as Foundations for the Authenticity of Narrators
The book Pari Khane-ye Ma (Our House’s pari), the latest work by Behnaz Zarrabizadeh, was unveiled in May 2024 at the Tehran International Book Fair. This work comprises the memories of nine families of martyrs—Bahadorbeigi, Bayat, Teymouri, Changizi, Hajibabaei, Sarabi, Azizi, Moradi, and Momeni—hailing from ...1
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100 Questions / 43
How can narrators and interviewers reach a common understanding?We asked several researchers and activists in the field of oral history to express their views on oral history questions. The names of each participant are listed at the beginning of their answers, and the text of all answers will be published on this portal by the end of the week.
Documentary Pathology of the US Embassy Documents
The Necessity of Scientific Rereading and Content Analysis of DocumentsMore than four decades have passed since the publication of the first collections of documents from the US Embassy in Tehran. However, despite the relatively easy access to this treasure trove of documents, systematic research exploitation of it has not been adequate. We still do not have a “comprehensive picture” of the content of these 11,000 documents.
100 Questions / 42
What is the importance of the narrator and interviewers shared understanding of the past in oral history?We asked several researchers and activists in the field of oral history to express their views on oral history questions. The names of each participant are listed at the beginning of their answers, and the text of all the answers will be published on this portal by the end of the week.
Validation: Challenges and Necessities
Where does truth stand in oral history? How can the correctness of a narrative be recognized? Does fact-checking matter? If there is exaggeration in the reporting of some accounts, how can it be detected? Is it possible to record an event accurately through the recording of a narrative? Readers and users of oral history works are often faced with these questions, and sometimes encounter doubts about some oral history works.
