A section of the Iranian Resistance Museum in Ashraf 3 is dedicated to the great Eternal Light Operation. This section introduces visitors to the heroes who created a historic national epic in the Iranian Resistance.
The Eternal Light Operation, launched on July 25, 1988, coinciding with Eid al-Adha, was one of the largest military operations of the National Liberation Army of Iran (NLA) and a turning point in the struggle of the Iranian people against the ruling clerical regime. The operation was designed to overthrow the regime and advance toward Tehran, marking it as a historic national and ideological epic in the annals of Iranian resistance.
Background of the Operation
A week before the operation, Ruhollah Khomeini, fearing the imminent downfall of his regime following the liberation of Mehran by the NLA, reluctantly decided to accept UN Security Council Resolution 598, which called for a ceasefire in the Iran-Iraq War. By drinking the “poison of the ceasefire,” Khomeini sought to portray that no resistance against his regime remained and that all conflicts were confined to the Iran-Iraq war. However, the Eternal Light Operation shattered this illusion, proving that the resistance went beyond border conflicts and would continue until the complete overthrow of Khomeini’s regime.
On July 25, 1988, the fighters of the National Liberation Army of Iran crossed Iran’s western borders and liberated the cities of Kerend and Eslamabad-e Gharb, advancing toward the gates of Kermanshah. The operation was met with widespread support from the local population, reflecting the social backing of the Iranian Resistance. During this battle, 1,304 NLA fighters were martyred, while over 55,000 forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij were killed.
The climax of the Eternal Light epic took place at Charzebar Pass, where the IRGC and Basij had mobilized forces from 172 cities to halt the PMOI/MEK fighters. This battle raged for 48 continuous hours, during which the unwavering resistance of the NLA fighters became a symbol of ultimate sacrifice in the history of Iran’s struggle for freedom.
Not only the Eternal Light Operation solidify the resistance against Khomeini’s largest conspiracies, but more than three decades later, it continues to haunt the Iranian regime as a nightmare of its downfall. Each year, the regime holds state-sponsored ceremonies during this time in a desperate attempt to convince itself that it has survived the threat of being overthrown.