Operation Mersad
| Operation Forough Javidan/Mersad | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Iran–Iraq War | |||||||||
Burned-out vehicles in the aftermath of Operation Mersad | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Mojahedin-e-Khalq | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Massoud Rajavi | |||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
7,000 MEK troops 300 tanks unknown number of artillery pieces and aircraft |
210,000 Iranians engaged 1,200,000 total 365 tanks unknown number of artillery pieces and aircraft | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
1,500 to 2,506 KIA (Iranian claim) 400 APCs 90 pieces of 80mm mortar 150 pieces of 60mm mortar 30 pieces of 106mm recoilless rifles | 480 KIA (Iranian claim) | ||||||||
Operation Mersad (Persian: عملیات مرصاد, Operation Ambush) also called Operation Foroughe Javidan (Persian: عملیات فروغ جاویدان, Operation Eternal Light, MeK's codename) were among the last major military operations of the Iran–Iraq War.
In July 1988, 7,000 militants from the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) launched a major military offensive with the goal of capturing key cities such as Kermanshah, and ultimately topple the Iranian government. Led by Lieutenant-General Ali Sayad Shirazi, Operation Mersad began on 26 July 1988 and lasted only a few days, whereby the Iranian Armed Forces defeated MEK forces.