Aykut Pazarbasi, a Turkish scholar of Persian literature, is the translator of the book released by Feta Publishing under the title ''Benim Tanidigim Haci Kasim''.

It carries Shirazi's memories of a 40-year-long close frienship with General Soleimani who was assassinated in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad on January 3, 2020.

Shirazi recounts numerous stories from the long friendship, which began in 1982 when Shirazi joined the volunteers in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war in Hamidieh, a town located near Ahvaz.

He met Soleimani, the then commander of the Sarallah Brigade, when he was delivering a speech for his soldiers. Suddenly, he felt a deep affection for Soleimani.

in his division. As the friendship continued, Shirazi was appointed as the representative of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in the Quds Force, the overseas arm of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), which was commanded by Soleimani until his martyrdom.

Shirazi accompanied Soleimani on many of the military operations he carried out on his mission to fight against the ISIS terrorist group.

In one of the chapters, Shirazi writes about one of their joint meetings with the Leader.

“When we were leaving the Leader’s house, I told him [Soleimani] ‘Put yourself forward as a candidate in the presidential election’.”         

“He said, ‘Tell people what I say to you; I’m a candidate for martyrdom; a candidate for a bullet, not a presidential candidate’.”

The Persian edition has been published by Khate Moqaddam, a publishing house that released Shirazi’s previous book “Characteristics of the School of Martyr Soleimani” in November 2020.

Feta Publishing has previously published Turkish translations of several other books about Soleimani.

“Haci Kasim Suleymani ve Harem Savunuculari” (“Hajji Qassem Soleimani and Sacred Shrine Defenders”) written by Morteza Keramati is one of the books published in March 2020.

“Suleymani’yi Tanimak” and “Sehit Haci Kasim Suleymani Mektebi”, both written by Ali Shirazi, have also been published by Feta.

Source:Tehran Times