Hassan Abshenasan

Hassan Abshenasan (Persian: حسن آبشناسان) was an Iranian military officer who commanded the 23rd Commando Division during the Iran-Iraq War and was killed in action in the conflict.

Hassan Abshenasan
Born	(1936-05-09)9 May 1936 Tehran, Imperial State of Iran
Died	30 September 1985(1985-09-30) (aged 49) Sarsul Kelashin, Ba'athist Iraq
Allegiance	Iran
Years of service	1957–1985
Rank	Colonel
Commands	23rd Commando Division
Battles / wars	Iran–Iraq War †

Biography

Hassan Abshenasan was born to a religious family in 1936 in the Nazi Abad district of Tehran. He spent his primary school in Tehran and graduated from high school in 1957. Then he entered the military university and three years later graduated with Second Lieutenant. Hassan passed the primary and advanced military in Shiraz province and spent special courses in AJA University of Command and Staff, Tehran. Also, he received commando training in Iran and parachute and ranger training in Scotland. Abshenasan was skilled in athletics, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, swimming, horse riding, and judo.^[1][2]

In Iran-Iraq war

Hassan Abshenasan had different roles during Iran-Iraq war, including:^[3][4]

• Commander of Hamzeh Seyes ol-Shohada residence
• Commander of 23rd Special Forces Division
• Commander of the residence of the northwest of Iran
• Teacher of guerrilla warfare education
• Teacher of Sepah forces who were based in Sa'd-Abad
• Forming Komeil residence in Iraq
• Combining of forces of Islamic Republic of Iran Army and Sepah
• Designing Operation Qader and Implementation it

Death

On 30 September 1985, he was killed in the Sarsul Kelashin area in the north of Iraq. He was Commander of Airborne Special Forces at that time. People of Dasht-e Abbas called him lion of wilderness.^[2][1]

In popular culture

Book

The Old Guerrilla book is a biography of Hassan Abshenasan for young readers to learn about his life. The book was written by Mozhgan Hazratian Fumm and published by Soureh Sabz Publishing Institute. The author asserted that: "courage, persistence, and religious confidence were Abshenasan's outstanding personal traits."^[4]

Film

A documentary film about Hassan Abshenasan's life is being produced by Masoud Imami. The film has several interviews with his family and his friend during the Iran-Iraq War. For showing different angles of his life, especially for remaking the scene of fighting in the Iran-Iraq war, use computerized simulation.^[5][6]

Lion of Wilderness

The lion of wilderness was authored by Alireza Por Bozorg that is biography of Abshenasan.^[7]

The Secret Half-moon

The secret Half-moon is Abshenasan's wife's narration about Hassan, that authored by Marjan Fouladvan.^[7]

Men of plain of light

Men of Plain of Light is a collection of memories of the commanders of the Ground Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army that authored by Abolfazl Norani.^[7]

Brighter than blue

Brighter than blue was authored by Farzam Shirzadi. This book is written in 11 chapters and 160 pages.^[8][7]

Expressway

Abshenasan Expressway known as Expressway in northern Tehran. It is named after Hassan Abshenasan, former commander of the 23rd Commando Division, who was killed during the Iran–Iraq War.