The Compassionate Commander

Narrated by Abdul Mohammad Raofinejad
Translated by Kianoush Borzouei

2025-9-2

The book The Compassionate Commander recounts the life and struggles of Brigadier General Abdol-Mohammad Raoufinejad. During the years of the Sacred Defense, he held key positions including Commander of the IRGC in Andimeshk and Dezful, as well as commander of the 7th Vali-Asr Brigade, later elevated to a full division. After the war, he continued his service in various capacities such as Commander of the 31st Ashura and the 41st Sarallah Divisions, Inspector of the IRGC Ground Forces, Governor of Kerman and Zanjan provinces, Commander of the Agricultural Jihad Headquarters, and Head of Supervision and Evaluation of the IRGC Ground Forces at the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters.

This work, presented as an oral history, reflects his life and experiences through 19 interviews, spanning from his childhood to the end of the Iran–Iraq War, with references to his later responsibilities.

The interviews were conducted and initially compiled by Brigadier General Abdol-Mohammad Kuchak-Koutiani, a comrade of the narrator, while the final editing of the book was carried out by Dr. Hossein Ahmadi. The book is one of the publications of the Center for Holy Defense Documents and Research, developed as part of the Commanders’ Documentary Project, which began in 2009 with the aim of completing the war’s historical record and preserving first-hand accounts.

In an analytical note by the late Lieutenant General Gholam-Ali Rashid, placed at the beginning of the book after the publisher’s foreword and the introduction, the necessity of candid and critical narration of the war is emphasized. He underlines that General Raoufinejad is among the commanders whose personality, wisdom, patience, sincerity, and distinguished record must be introduced to the younger generation. He stresses that recording such narratives is essential not only for understanding the past but also for charting the future.

The book is structured into 19 interviews, in which the narrator revisits the different stages of his life.

• Interview 1 acquaints the reader with the narrator’s childhood and youth in Dezful—a city that during the war became the southern gateway and the frontline of resistance. His memories of growing up in a religious family and the socio-cultural atmosphere before the Revolution provide valuable context for understanding his character and motivations.
• Interview 2 covers the political developments in the years leading up to the Islamic Revolution and his participation in revolutionary activities. His early experiences in the popular mobilization and the fervent atmosphere of the Revolution serve as a prelude to his entry into the IRGC.
• Interviews 3 and 4 recount his initial military training and early missions within the IRGC. His involvement in counterinsurgency operations in Kurdistan and exposure to guerrilla warfare shaped him into both a learner and a practitioner. This section also highlights his role in organizing forces in Andimeshk and collaborating with local volunteers during the chaotic early phase of the war, as well as efforts to secure defensive lines in western Iran.
• Interviews 5 to 7 mark a turning point in his military career as he assumes command of the IRGC in Dezful and participates in major operations such as Fath al-Mobin and Beit al-Moqaddas. Beyond battlefield details, these chapters reflect his managerial perspective on force distribution, logistical organization, and inter-unit coordination. They also touch on internal challenges, command disputes, and efforts to enhance operational efficiency—issues rarely addressed so explicitly in other commanders’ memoirs.
• Interviews 8 to 10 focus on the formation of the independent 7th Vali-Asr Brigade and its subsequent transformation into a division. He played a pivotal role in consolidating forces in southern Iran. Operations such as Valfajr al-Moqaddamati and Kheibar, despite their hardships, belong to this period. With realism, the narrator points out shortcomings in intelligence, flaws in operational planning, and the immense human pressures of combat. His recollections—such as long nights in the reeds of Tala’ieh or the difficulties of retreat in Kheibar—offer vivid, gripping images of wartime struggles.
• Interviews 11 to 13 primarily address Operation Badr, preparations for Karbala-4, and participation in Karbala-5. These chapters include candid analyses of tactical weaknesses, mismanagement, and, at the same time, the sacrifices of volunteer fighters. The narrator frankly examines the issue of multiple offensives launched without sufficient readiness. These sections stand out as some of the book’s most analytical.
• Interviews 14 to 16 turn to the year 1987, focusing on Nasr-4 and Nasr-8 operations in the Sardasht region of western Iran. These chapters are historically and militarily significant for their treatment of mountain-front warfare and its contrasts with the southern battlefields. The narrator details the role of the 7th Vali-Asr Division in adapting to the new geography of war and working with local forces. The operational environment was fraught with tactical, environmental, and human challenges.
• Interviews 17 to 19, the final three, summarize his wartime experiences and briefly cover his post-war responsibilities. Here he reflects on the challenges of strengthening military units, the necessity of reforming command structures, and organizational culture issues in the IRGC during the war’s final years. He also provides a brief account of his later roles, including service in the 31st Ashura Division, the 41st Tharallah Division, provincial governorships, and the Agricultural Jihad Headquarters—though the book remains primarily focused on the Sacred Defense period.

The book concludes with photographs and an index, with some images interspersed in the text alongside captions.

The first edition of The Compassionate Commander was published in 2024 in 567 pages, with a print run of 1,000 copies, in octavo format, priced at 240,000 tomans.