Iran’s Assistance to the Bosnian Resistance: A Glimpse into the Struggle during the Bosnian Genocide

Meeting of the Bosnian and Iranian delegations, Mostar, July 1995

One example of Iran's military assistance to the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina - the visit of the Bosnian and Herzegovinian delegation to Iran

Narrated by the Chief of Staff of the Bosnian Army during the war, General Rasim Delić

On September 25, 1991, the United Nations Security Council imposed an arms embargo on the countries of Yugoslavia, which was in the process of disintegrating. A few months later, the aggression against the internationally recognized Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina began. As a result of this embargo, its armed force, the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was inferior to the aggressor throughout the war in terms of military equipment and other material and technical means. Under such circumstances, the authorities of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina were forced to violate the embargo and in every possible way obtain the necessary means of defense. Apart from a few Arab countries and Pakistan, almost no one was willing to take this risk and deliver weapons to the ARBiH. The exception was Iran, which continuously, throughout the war, without asking for anything in return, supplied the ARBiH with military equipment and the necessary material and technical means. According to various sources, the share of Iranian weapons of the ARBiH ranges from 70% to 90%. Today, many stories and anecdotes can be told about the Iranian supply of weapons to the ARBiH, and we bring you a story recorded in the book "The Face and Reverse of War" by General Rasim Delić.

Iranian Delegation and Rasim Delić

"Thus, on July 1, 1995, at a meeting with the Iranian delegation led by General Ismail (Qaani), I learned that the news about the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was breaking in Iran and that the Iranian people were very sympathetic to the Bosniaks; that the Iranians consider it their obligation to help the Bosniaks; that Iran will lobby other Islamic countries to help the just fight of the ARBiH and that we must be optimistic in our commitment and fight. He (Qaani) told me a similar thing seven days later at the reunion after he visited the free territories and some of the units of the ARBiH. He was impressed by the organization of the ARBiH, emphasizing that Iran will support our fight to the maximum with concrete military assistance in weapons, ammunition and equipment, but also with raw materials for the defense industry, whose capabilities he was impressed with. He also asked us to provide them with a list of necessary weapons and equipment sorted by priority as soon as possible so that they could organize the arrival.

A very important meeting with the new Iranian delegation was also held in those days. At the meeting in Mostar on July 31, 1995, the Bosnian-Herzegovinian delegation led by President Alija Izetbegović included Muhamed Šaćirbegović, Bakir Alispahić, Kasim Trnka, Safet Oručević and Edhem Bičakčić. The Iranian delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Akbar Velayati, and the delegation included the Ambassador of Iran to the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Taherian, Generals Ahmad Vahidi (head of the Quds Force) and Hamid (Taghavi, also of the Quds Force, now a martyr), as well as officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries Dr. Vahid, Dr. Hansai, Dr. Sanjan, Hojjatoleslam Dr. Ali Saeedi (Ayatollah Khamenei's representative in the IRGC) and others. In his presentation, President Izetbegović emphasized the necessity of closer cooperation with Iran in order to avoid a tragedy such as the one in Srebrenica. that I, as army chief, continue the conversation with General Vahidi, that Iran's diplomatic initiative in the world, especially in Russia and China, has contributed to the improvement of the international community's attitude towards the struggle of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina against aggression, that Iran tries to strengthen the front of Islamic countries in support of the fight of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina against aggression and to include Syria, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Indonesia and other countries in that front, and that the delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina will soon visit Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Velajati thanked President Izetbegović for the meeting, emphasizing, among other things, that Iran will continue to support and assist BiH in all respects, that Iran will continue to contact Croatia, whose cooperation in providing military assistance to the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina is unavoidable, that flights of Iranian planes with weapons to the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina continue, but also that a ship with 3,000 tons of weapons that was stopped in Turkey was destroyed. Velajati especially emphasized the necessity of holding a meeting that was to be held between him, Šaćirbegović and Ganić that day in Split. He asked: how to ensure the reconstruction of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the future; whether Croatia will oppose the arrival of peacekeepers from Islamic countries; whether Croatia has economic interests in cooperating with Islamic countries, for which Iran has expressed full readiness; how much and how can it affect the correction of some of Croatia's political attitudes towards the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina; whether it is necessary, in the interest of BiH, to include Croatia in military cooperation, and concluded that Imam Khamenei and Iranian President Rafsanjani continue to insist on full and selfless assistance to the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Ali Khamenei and Bakir Izetbegović

Izetbegović thanked Iran for its help, pointing out that it is very important for the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina that it is not alone in the superhuman fight against the Serbian aggressor and that Iran is at the forefront of supporting our country. Velayati once again emphasized that the entire Iranian people sympathize with the suffering of Bosniaks and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and that almost every Iranian would like to personally help the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which gives legitimacy and commitment to the Iranian authorities in military, political and humanitarian assistance to our country.

I emphasized the problems and needs of the ARBiH in weapons and military equipment because my meeting with General Vahidi followed. We met on August 1 in the morning. At the meeting in Kakanj, I informed General Vahidi about the situation on the battlefield and asked him: to deliver the MTS according to the already submitted list, which included: PATs and ammunition for PAT, launchers and missiles for the SPG-9 recoilless cannon, 130 mm guns and ammunition, 107 mm rocket missiles, portable air defense systems; to prepare the cargo for the ship as previously agreed with the Iranian interlocutors; to increase the supply of artillery and tank projectiles necessary for the offensive operations of the ARBiH; to try to transport a certain number of motor vehicles for special purposes (off-road, ambulance, communication vehicles, etc.)

Vahidi emphasized, among other things, that Iran has already prepared a larger amount of weapons for the ARBiH, that Iran will continue to send 4 military aid planes per week, and that 106 mm recoilless cannons will be sent. In addition, he invited the Bosnian-Herzegovinian delegation to visit Iran, which was accepted.

Of course I agreed and the visit took place from August 29 to 31, 1995. In addition to me, Mustafa Hajrulahović, Vahid Karavelić, Erol Džebo, Rashid Zorlak, Bakir Izetbegović also went on a trip to Iran, and Hasan Čengić joined us in Iran. We went to Split by car, and from Split to Zagreb by plane. From Zagreb to Pula, we traveled in the vehicles of the Iranian embassy, and from there by plane to Tehran. In Iran, we experienced a warm welcome at the highest level. 

Mohsen Rezaei and Ahmad Vahidi

During our stay in this hospitable and friendly country, we met with all political and military leaders, from Prime Minister Rafsanjani and Foreign Minister Velayati to the commanders of Iran's military forces, the Minister of Defense (IRGC General Haj Mohammad Forouzandeh) and the leaders of their defense industry. Our meeting with the religious leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, was particularly impressive. By the way, foreign delegations rarely meet with him. He invited us to pray with him and his associates, which was a great honor, rarely experienced by government ministers, scientists and public workers in Iran. After we went through the usual control and prayed aksham, I handed Imam Khamenei an art painting with the Bey's Mosque as the main motif. Looking at the picture, Imam Khamenei said: "I was in this mosque in 1990. At that time, I said that the Bosnian Muslims would experience a difficult time, but that they would come out of it stronger and more united." After a short comment, he turned to his associates, telling them that they must not forget BiH and Bosnian Muslims and that they must help them continuously. I couldn't even guess what those words meant to those present—it was an order to them.

During our stay in Iran, we visited several factories of dedicated production, and in each place we felt welcome and sincere interest in helping our country as much as possible. We agreed on the continuation of Iran's assistance to the ARBiH and the model of a joint appearance at the conference of Islamic countries in Kuala Lumpur with the aim of mobilizing Islamic countries for assistance to the ARBiH as much as possible. We also had the opportunity to visit the closed part of the airport in Tehran where weapons, equipment and ammunition intended for our army were stationed. Our hearts were full because we knew that we would no longer run out of ammunition, bearing in mind that we are in a military alliance with Croatia, that is, the Croatian Army.

On the day of departure from Tehran, a big surprise awaited us. There were a lot of reporters and a lot of TV cameras at the airport. We wondered who they were waiting for. They were waiting for us. Namely, after the meeting with Khamenei and his recommendation to continue to help the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we learned that Prime Minister Rafsanjani held an extraordinary session of the Iranian government. At that session, a decision was made to offer the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. the ARBiH, a contract for equipping with weapons and equipment worth 150 million dollars. In the contract, Iran envisaged the full equipping of three divisions of the ARBiH (about 40,000 soldiers). We were pleasantly surprised. The treaty was prepared in Persian and Bosnian and was signed by General Haj Mohsen Rezaei (IRGC Commander-in-Chief) and myself. It was the most important contract, not only the military one, that was signed on behalf of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war. Unfortunately, this agreement was only partially implemented, because after a month and a half, the cessation of the conflict in RBiH was signed."

• This article is written by a friend of mine from Bosnia and does not necessarily reflect the views of A.E.P. (the owner of the Website), nor does it represent an agreement with these perspectives.