Kingdom of Iran, Saqqez, at the foot of the Zagros Mountains. It had now become the Iranian Army's only remaining stronghold. All the strongholds to the north had already fallen.
At Saqqez, there was a highway that crossed the Zagros Mountains. Though its facilities were not much to speak of, it could barely accommodate trucks, tanks, armored vehicles, and the like. This road had been specially built several years earlier to strengthen communication between the Kingdom of Iran and the Kingdom of Iraq.
This was also why the Russian Caucasian Front Army had launched such a fierce assault on Saqqez. They hoped to seize it, then cross the Zarogus Mountains via this highway and strike into northern Iraq.
The two tank divisions of the Russian 47th Army Corps had already been withdrawn. Their previous attacks had cost them quite a few tanks. Although not many tanks had been destroyed on the battlefield, many had broken down and been ruined during the long march. Fortunately, the Buru high command understood the Caucasian Front Army's current difficulties and was providing them with vigorous support. That was what allowed these two tank divisions to retain their formidable combat strength.
However, the Iranian Army had assembled a considerable number of troops at Saqqez and constructed solid defensive positions. If the tank divisions launched the attack, their losses would inevitably be heavy. That was why Lieutenant General Kozlov had pulled back the two tank divisions and ordered the infantry of the 51st Army Corps to attack instead.
The battle was exceptionally fierce. The Russian 51st Infantry Division deployed several infantry divisions, attacking the Iranian Army's positions in waves. The savage attacks and death-defying charges inflicted extremely grievous losses on the Iranian Army. Yet even so, Saqqez's main positions remained under Iranian control.
By this point