Khorramshahr, 30 years after liberation

(Photos by Fatemeh Behboudi)

On September 21, 1980, only 19 months after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the Baath regime of Saddam Hussein invaded Iran. After breaking the city’s 35-day resistance, Iraqi army occupied the coastal city of Khorramshahr on October 26, 1980. On April 30, 1982, the Beit-ul-Moqaddas Operation started and Iranian forces encircled the occupied city and after a courageous battle, liberated the city on (the third of Khordad) May 24, 1982. During the 575-day occupation, the Iraqis plundered billions of dollars worth of property from the people and completely destroyed the city.