The 33rd Al-Mahdi Division (, named after the twelfth Shia Imam, Al-Mahdi) was a brigade of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It was established on 24 February 1982 before Operation Fath ol-Mobin in the Iran–Iraq War, with Ali Fazli as its commander.A look at the bravery of the 33rd Mahdi Division of Fars Province نگاهی به رشادت‌های لشگر 33 المهدی استان فارس It was part of the 7th Fajr Division for some time during the war. After Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas,The Mahdi Army (AJ) of Jahrom Fars sacrificed 62 martyrs in the conquest of Khorramshahr لشكر المهدی (عج) جهرم فارس در فتح خرمشهر 62شهید تقدیم كرد there was some reform in the structure of the brigade, and Mohammad Jaafar Asadi was made as the commander, and remained the commander of the unit until the end of the war. On 24 April 1983 the brigade was separated from the 19th Fajr Division and became part of the newly founded 7th Corps. The brigade was turned into the 33rd Al-Mahdi Division () after the successful Operation Dawn 8.A story about the bravery of the 19th Fajr and 33rd Al-Mahdi armies روایتی از رشادت‌ لشکرهای ۱۹ فجر و ۳۳ المهدی

After Iraq's adoption of new defensive tactics in 1986, Iran begin creating new "Qaem" units, and the independent 326th Qaem Unit of Fars () was founded on 25 May 1986 under command of Abdol-Ali Najafi, which were consisted of forces from the 33rd Division.A memory of the dawn-makers whose dawn became immortal یادی از فجرآفرینانی که طلوعشان جاودانه شد It was stationed in Haj Omran area in the Shahid Sadr Highlands. It also participated in Operation Karbala-2.Operation "Karbala 2" was designed and implemented based on the strategy of pursuing the enemy on the northern front عملیات «کربلای 2» بر اساس استراتژی تعقیب دشمن در جبهه شمالی طراحی و اجرا شد It was later merged with the Al-Mahdi Division.

After the Iran-Iraq war, the Al-Mahdi Division was separated into two units: the 33rd Al-Mahdi Airborne Brigade () under command of Hojjatollah Azarpeykan, stationed in Jahrom County, Fars province; and the 3rd Ansar-ol-Hojjat Brigade (), as part of 19th Fajr Division, under command of Abdol-Ali Najafi stationed in Fasa County, Fars Province.The 33rd Mahdi Division لشکر ۳۳ المهدی The 33rd Al-Mahdi Airborne Brigade has been active in the Iran–PJAK conflict.

References