On July 25, 2026, marking the anniversary of the Iranian Resistance’s most formidable military challenge to the clerical regime, PMOI Resistance Units orchestrated a coordinated, nationwide campaign of defiance. Despite the regime’s brutal massacres following the devastating nationwide uprisings of December 2025 and January 2026, the Resistance Units remain unbroken.
Across the country, these brave activists commemorated the anniversary of Operation Eternal Light, proving that the fight for a free Iran continues in every corner of the country and that the sacrifices of the past still fuel today’s revolution.
July 25—Iran
PMOI Resistance Units across Iran commemorate the anniversary of Operation Eternal Light, the great offensive by the National Liberation Army in 1988 that brought the regime to its knees. pic.twitter.com/IjP3qEzyx4— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) July 27, 2026
To understand the bravery of today’s Resistance Units, one must understand the historical magnitude of the 1988 operation. On July 25, 1988, the National Liberation Army (NLA) launched its largest operation, called “Eternal Light,” targeting the entirety of the Iranian regime. Pushing deep into Iranian territory, this large-scale military offensive brought the clerical establishment to the brink of collapse. The Iranian regime suffered 55,000 casualties in the ensuing battles.
It was a brilliant strategic counter-move. The regime had intended to use a supposed peace after the eight-year war to annihilate the opposition, but Operation Eternal Light disrupted this plot, successfully forcing Khomeini to drink the “poison” of the UN ceasefire. During this monumental offensive, 1,304 NLA officers and soldiers laid down their lives for the freedom of their country, cementing a legacy of selfless sacrifice.
Tehran
Photos of the martyrs of Operation Eternal Light pic.twitter.com/MYJexbVCD7— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) July 27, 2026
Far from being a relic of the past, the message of Eternal Light is being actively championed by a new generation. On July 25, 2026, commemorative activities—including poster distributions, photo calls, and floral tributes—took place in every corner of Iran. Activities were recorded in Tehran, Kermanshah, Tabriz, Mashhad, Isfahan, Shiraz, Ahvaz, Kerman, Bandar Abbas, Hamedan, Sanandaj, Bandar Anzali, Babol, Gilan-e Gharb, Saqqez, and Dorud.
In Kermanshah, at the Hassanabad pass where the 1988 battles took place, Resistance members laid flowers and paid tribute to fallen heroes like Commander Tahereh Tolou (Commander Sara). One activist delivered a moving message: “This stone, this plain you see, and the sky above it hold thousands of tales of the heroism of the lion-hearted men and women… The brave warriors of the Liberation Army, with their relentless battle for five days and nights on these hot July roads, with hearts full of love for the liberation of the people and the homeland, fearlessly fought.”
Kermanshah
Photo of Commander Sara (PMOI martyr Tahereh Tolou) with the message: "Operation Eternal Light remains an unforgettable epic in the history of the Iranian people's liberation movement." pic.twitter.com/IRoNk6uO8R— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) July 27, 2026
In Tehran, Resistance Units set up memorial tables with candles and photos of the martyrs. A member recorded a message declaring their generation remains resolute: “We are the same generation that in the historical turning point of Eternal Light sacrificed 1,304 commanders… but never surrendered and never will. Today, we stand much more cohesive, with stronger ranks, and with a hundred times more faith and determination against the brutal and criminal mullahs.”
The Resistance Units are spreading a specific message: the armed, revolutionary resistance remains the only viable solution to the mullahs’ regime. Activists risked their lives to display posters of Iranian Resistance leader Massoud Rajavi and NCRI president-elect Maryam Rajavi in public spaces.
Posters and placards across cities like Isfahan, Hamedan, Shiraz, and Bandar Abbas prominently featured the quote by Massoud Rajavi: “The great operation of Eternal Light guaranteed the victory of the revolutionary solution over the reactionary solution.” Another prominent slogan displayed everywhere from Bandar Anzali in the north to the southern regions echoed the message: “Today, the spirit of Eternal Light flows in the Resistance Units across Iran.”
Mashhad
"Today, the spirit of Eternal Light lives on through the Resistance Units across Iran." pic.twitter.com/892ywBbuNp— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) July 27, 2026
The clerical establishment remains just as terrified of the Resistance today as it was in 1988, as the legacy of the martyrs translates into modern, on-the-ground action. This ongoing fear was highlighted in slogans displayed in cities like Mashhad, Babol, and Dorud, which stated: “The regime felt the tremor of its overthrow by the Liberation Army in Eternal Light.”
With the regime reeling from recent decapitation strikes in early 2026 that eliminated key leadership figures including Ali Khamenei, the unwavering determination of the Resistance Units demonstrates that the fight for freedom continues unabated. The legacy of the martyrs of Eternal Light lives on, assuring that the flame of resistance will not be extinguished until the Iranian people achieve final victory.