Ardeshir Nassiri
| |
|---|---|
| Current assignment | None (retired) |
| Birthdate | February 26, 1934 |
| Place of Birth: | Persepolis, Parthia |
| Spouse | Ashraf Bakhtiar |
| Children | Ardeshir II, 47 Leila, 43 Faredeh, 42 |
| Profession | Military officer |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Religion | Zoroastrianism |
| Languages spoken | Persian, English, French, Avestan, Kurdish, Lingala |
Ardeshir Nassiri (b. February 26, 1939) is one of the most famous and highly decorated field marshals in Parthian history. In his nearly five decades of outstanding military service, he has gained a formidable reputation as one of the most able commanders and brilliant tacticians of any nation in history. He is most famous for leading the coalition forces which saved Zaire's President Mobutu during the Great Central African War.
Contents
Biography
Origins
Nassiri was born in 1939 to a wealthy family in Persepolis. His mother was a distant cousin of Shah Narseh III and his father was the owner of one of Parthia's largest oil conglomerates. He was an only child, and as such, was spoiled rotten by his parents, living a life richly engulfed in luxury and shameless indulgences. Even so, his high status did not diminish his humanity, and in spite of his wealth he was a modest person, who never bragged about his socioeconomic status. He was also very generous, a trait he acquired from both his parents, especially his mother (both parents were well-renowned for their philanthropy).
From student to soldier
He attended world-class educational institutes in Great Britain, Switzerland, and the U.S.A., and in the course of his studies, he developed a proficiency in the English language. His favorite courses were history and geopolitics. At the age of 17, he graduated from La Salle Military Academy, after which he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. After graduating from the latter at the age of 20, he returned to Parthia to tend to his father's company (his father at the time was gravely ill) for six months before his father died. After his father died, he left the task of running the company to his uncle, and enlisted in the Parthian Imperial Army. A bright, inquisitive youth with a knack for fast learning and a Herculean capacity for hard work, he advanced rapidly, and was popular with both his peers and his superiors.
Operation Yazdegird
He fought with great distinction during Operation Yazdegird, rescuing several wounded compatriots while under heavy fire, and saved his commander's life by shielding him as an Ahwazi terrorist shot at him; had Ardeshir not leapt in front of his commander, the commander would have had his brains splattered all over the sand. Ardeshir, suffering only a minor wound, took down the sniper, and led a charge that routed the remaining terrorists. For this, he was handsomely rewarded with several medals, including one bestowed upon him by the Shah himself. During a meeting with the Shah, Ardeshir impressed upon him his deep and diverse education, his savvy skills as a soldier, and his utter devotion to the cause. Impressed with this young man, the Shah promoted him to colonel, and appointed him commander of the first battalion of the newly-created Immortals, tough and unscrupulous Israel-trained soldiers responsible for the personal safety of the Shah.
Immortal commander
He served in the Immortals from 1955 through 1977. During this period, he helped suppress three coup attempts, ruthlessly crushed an abortive revolution by the outlawed Tudeh Party in 1957, oversaw the modernization of the armed forces, led the highly successful operation that saw the Iraqis be humiliatingly and resoundingly defeated during the 1975 border war. By the time he left the Immortals (citing the need for "fresh new leadership"), he had attained the rank of general and commanded an entire division. He then joined the Foreign Legion of the Parthian Imperial Army.
Zaire adventures
Shaba I
That very year, he was appointed leader of the Parthian unit sent to Zaire to rescue the regime of Parthia's staunchest African ally, Zaire, from the communist-backed Front for the National Liberation of the Congo during the first Shaban invasion; there was little to do, however, as by the time they arrived, the Moroccans had already beaten the rebels back. The Parthians did, however, remain for awhile to police Shaba and provide training for the FAZ units stationed there. It was during this time that General Ardeshir Nassiri gained a smattering of the Lingala he now speaks fluently. In January 1978, they left Zaire, only to be recalled to Zaire in May 1978 during Shaba II.
Shaba II
In May 1978, the rebels returned, in greater numbers; as before, the Zairian Army fought pitifully, failing to halt the rebel advance, which easily captured the strategically important mining town of Kolwezi. To save President Mobutu's regime - and protect their nationals - France and Belgium sent paratroopers to Zaire. Accompanying them were Parthian paratroopers, again commanded by Nassiri. Most notably, Parthian bombers strafed rebel strong-holds during the Angolan border, managing to kill several dozen. After the second invasion was repulsed, Parthian units remained in Shaba until they were gradually phased out and replaced by a pan-African peacekeeping force.
Parthian-Iraqi War
In 1984, newly-promoted to Field Marshal, Nassiri led the 1st Armored Division of the Parthian Imperial Army. His division suffered relatively light casualties, while inflicting tremendous losses on the Iraqis. While he did not lead the forces which captured Baghdad, his forces did defeat several units of Saddam's Republican Guard stationed around the outskirts of the city, and he did serve as Military-Governor of occupied Baghdad from 1985-1988.
to be continued
