Nationwide resistance narrative highlighted through commemorative activities honoring Operation Eternal Light, fallen fighters, and the call for a democratic republic in Iran.
Resistance Units in Zahedan commemorated the anniversary of Operation Eternal Light (Forough Javidan) by carrying out a series of public activities honoring the operation’s legacy and the sacrifices of the National Liberation Army of Iran (NLA). Through banners, posters, and slogans displayed across the city, activists highlighted the operation as a defining moment in the Iranian Resistance’s struggle while renewing calls for freedom, democracy, and the overthrow of the Iranian regime.
The coordinated campaign featured quotations from Massoud Rajavi and Maryam Rajavi, historical accounts of Operation Eternal Light, and slogans rejecting both religious dictatorship and monarchy as solutions for Iran’s future.
Honoring a Defining Chapter of the Iranian Resistance
Resistance supporters described Operation Eternal Light as one of the most significant chapters in the history of the Iranian Resistance. The campaign emphasized the determination of the National Liberation Army during the July 1988 offensive, portraying it as evidence of an organized democratic alternative to the ruling regime.
Among the messages displayed throughout Zahedan were quotations from Massoud Rajavi, including:
“Operation Eternal Light is an unforgettable epic in the history of the Iranian people’s liberation struggle and proof of a democratic and independent alternative.”
Another message reflected on the political climate of the late 1980s:
“When Khomeini’s dictatorship reached its height and no one dared stand against war and repression, we turned the page of our nation’s history and rewrote it with the blood of our martyrs.”
Other banners stressed that the Iranian Resistance has consistently pursued peace and freedom throughout more than six decades of struggle while urging supporters to continue the fight under the slogan:
“Neither Shah nor Mullah.”
Maryam Rajavi: “Operation Eternal Light Lives On”
The campaign also featured several messages from Maryam Rajavi, linking the legacy of the 1988 operation to the present-day activities of Resistance Units across Iran.
One of the most prominent statements declared:
“Today, Operation Eternal Light continues through the Resistance Units across Iran.”
Additional messages asserted that a society awakened by sacrifice would not retreat in the face of repression and argued that Iran’s future lies in the establishment of a democratic republic.
Other displayed quotations accused the regime of relying on executions, repression, and regional conflict to preserve its rule, while insisting that these policies cannot ensure its long-term survival.
Remembering the Sacrifice of the National Liberation Army
The commemorative activities also highlighted key historical aspects of Operation Eternal Light. Posters described the military offensive as the National Liberation Army’s largest operation, noting that its forces reached the outskirts of Kermanshah within hours of launching the campaign.
The displays remembered the heavy sacrifices made during the operation, stating that more than 1,300 PMOI fighters were killed and over 1,000 were wounded during a week of intense combat.
Among those honored was Commander Sara (Tahereh Tolou), whose death during the fighting was presented as a symbol of the operation’s legacy.
The campaign further recalled that following the ceasefire ending the Iran-Iraq war in July 1988, the regime launched the mass execution of imprisoned PMOI members and supporters. Banners referenced statements by senior regime officials at the time calling for the execution of PMOI prisoners, linking those events to the broader pattern of political repression that continues today.
Resistance Rejects Both Religious Rule and Monarchy
Alongside historical messages, Resistance Units displayed slogans emphasizing their political vision for Iran’s future. The campaign rejected both the current theocratic system and any return to monarchy, presenting a democratic republic as the alternative.
Among the slogans displayed were:
- “From Zahedan to Tehran, death to the oppressor—whether Shah or Supreme Leader.”
- “Dictatorship is dictatorship, whether with a turban or a crown.”
- “Monarchy and religious rule: one hundred years of crimes.”
- “Neither monarchy nor theocracy; freedom and equality.”
Continuing the Legacy of Resistance
The activities in Zahedan formed part of the broader efforts by PMOI Resistance Units to commemorate milestones in the history of the Iranian Resistance while connecting them to today’s political struggle. By honoring Operation Eternal Light and the sacrifices of those who participated in it, activists sought to reinforce the message that organized resistance remains active across Iran despite intensified repression.
The campaign presented the anniversary not only as a remembrance of a historic operation, but also as a reaffirmation of the Resistance’s stated objective: replacing the current regime with a democratic republic based on freedom, equality, and the sovereignty of the Iranian people.
