TEHRAN – Ebrahim Amerian, the producer of the comedy films “Dynamite”, “Texas” and “Coconut”, is planning for his new project that will portray a true story about an Iranian shock troop squad that served in the beginning of Operation Valfajr 8.   

The movie entitled “Arvand Conquerors” has been written by Farhad Fadakar, who will also direct it as his debut film, Amerian told the Persian service of MNA on Friday.

The film will focus on the 410th Khatam al-Anbia Squad led by Ahmad Amini who was killed just after commanding the squad to cross the Arvand River in the beginning of the operation.

The squad was from the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps’ 41st Sarallah Division commanded by Lieutenant-General Qassem Soleimani during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

“This screenplay is a different work about Martyr Hajji Ahmad Amini who had really nice characteristics, and had been selected by Martyr Hajji Qassem Soleimani as the commander of the diver squad.”

He said that his crew is searching for actors who resemble the characters of the film. He also announced his plan to negotiate with Payman Maadi or Navid Mohammadzadeh to play the role of Amini in this project.

He said that over 70 percent of the project will be shot underwater, therefore his crew must import some necessary equipment from abroad.

His crew needs five months to complete filming the project, which will be shot on locations in Kerman, Bandar Abbas, Abadan and Tehran.

Amerian noted that the project will entirely be produced by the private sector, and he would never accept any support from the government.    

Amini was a close friend of General Soleimani. He joined the Iranian volunteers in the beginning of the war. He showed great valor and skill on the battlefield during several operations, and on each one he received severe injuries.

Due to his great valor in carrying out the operations, he was the talk of the troops on the Iranian fronts. Consequently, General Soleimani picked him as the commander of the 410th Khatam al-Anbia Squad of his division.

Operation Valfajr 8 was launched by Iran on February 9 1986. It was a sophisticated and carefully planned amphibious assault across the Arvand River against the Iraqi troops defending the strategic al-Faw peninsula, which connects Iraq to the Persian Gulf. 

Iran defeated the Iraqi defenders, mostly the Iraqi Popular Army, capturing the tip of the peninsula, including Iraq’s main air control and warning center covering the Persian Gulf, as well as limiting Iraq’s access to the ocean. 

Iran managed to maintain their foothold in Al-Faw against several Iraqi counter-offensives, including Republican Guard assaults and chemical attacks, for another month despite heavy casualties until a stalemate was reached.     

The operation was the initial part of the First Battle of al-Faw that was fought on the al-Faw peninsula between 10 February and 10 March 1986. 

The operation is considered to be one of Iran’s greatest achievements in the war. The Iranians were able to capture the al-Faw peninsula, cutting off Iraqi access to the Persian Gulf in the process. The Faw peninsula was later recaptured by Iraqi forces near the end of the war by the massive and illegal use of chemical weapons.

Photo: This file photo shows Ahmad Amini, the commander of the IRGC 410th Khatam al-Anbia Squad.

MMS/YAW