Who Are Iran’s Six Newly Appointed Military Commanders?
TEHRAN: Iran’s Commander-in-Chief has appointed six veteran military commanders to senior positions within the country’s armed forces, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij Organization, in a move aimed at strengthening operational readiness, defence capabilities and military management.
Under separate decrees, Major General Ali Abdollahi has been appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, while Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari has been named Deputy Chief of the General Staff.
Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi has been promoted to the rank of Major General and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC. Major General Mostafa Izadi has been named Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC.
Rear Admiral Ali Ozmaei has been appointed Commander of the IRGC Navy, while Hojjatoleslam val-Moslemin Hossein Taeb has been named President of the Basij Organization.
The appointments bring several experienced commanders of Iran’s Sacred Defense era into key leadership positions. Many of the appointees have held senior operational, security, intelligence and administrative posts during their careers.
Ali Abdollahi: Veteran Commander Takes Charge of General Staff
Major General Ali Abdollahi is a veteran commander who has served in several branches of the IRGC, the Law Enforcement Command, the Interior Ministry and the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
He began his military career in the years following the Islamic Revolution and held several responsibilities during the Iran-Iraq War, known in Iran as the Sacred Defense.
His previous positions include commander of the IRGC’s 16th Quds Division in Gilan, chief of staff of the IRGC Ground Forces, head of the IRGC Inspectorate and deputy commander of the IRGC Air Force.
Abdollahi later held senior positions in the Law Enforcement Force, including Coordinator Deputy and Deputy Commander.
He also served as governor of Semnan and Gilan provinces and as Deputy Interior Minister for Security and Law Enforcement Affairs.
After returning to the armed forces, he held senior positions at the General Staff, including Deputy for Logistics, Support and Industrial Research and Coordinator Deputy.
He also served as commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters before being appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
Kioumars Heydari: Army Ground Forces Veteran
Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari has spent most of his military career in Iran’s Army Ground Forces.
He began his service during the Sacred Defense era with the 81st Armored Division in Kermanshah and later held several senior operational and command positions.
His previous posts include commander of the Army Ground Forces’ Southwest Regional Base, Deputy for Operations, Coordinator Deputy and Chief of Staff, and Deputy Commander of the Army Ground Forces.
In 2016, Heydari was appointed commander of the Army Ground Forces. During his tenure, he focused on improving combat readiness, strengthening border defence, upgrading military equipment and enhancing the force’s operational capabilities.
He was also awarded the First Class Order of Fath.
He has now been appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
Ahmad Vahidi: Former Quds Force Commander Appointed IRGC Chief
Major General Ahmad Vahidi is a veteran IRGC commander who has held senior military, defence and government positions.
Vahidi was among the early commanders of the IRGC’s Quds Force and served as its commander during the 1990s.
He later joined the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, where he held senior positions including Deputy for Planning and Programs and Deputy Minister of Defense.
In 2009, Vahidi became Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics after receiving a vote of confidence from parliament, serving until 2013.
His other positions have included president of the Supreme National Defense University and membership of the Expediency Discernment Council.
Vahidi has now been promoted to Major General and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC.
Mostafa Izadi: Veteran Commander Given Strategic IRGC Role
Major General Mostafa Izadi is another veteran IRGC commander with extensive experience dating back to the Sacred Defense era.
During the Iran-Iraq War, Izadi held several operational and command positions before moving into senior military and strategic roles following the conflict.
He previously served as commander of the IRGC Ground Forces and later held positions within the General Staff of the Armed Forces and other strategic institutions.
His career has also included responsibilities involving emerging threats, cyber warfare and the strengthening of Iran’s defence preparedness.
Izadi has now been appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC.
Ali Ozmaei: New Commander of IRGC Navy
Rear Admiral Ali Ozmaei is a veteran IRGC Navy commander with extensive operational experience in the Persian Gulf.
He previously served as Deputy Commander of the IRGC Navy’s First Region and later became commander of the Fifth Region following its establishment.
Ozmaei spent years commanding the Fifth Region, overseeing naval operations, territorial waters and security missions in the Persian Gulf.
He was later promoted to Rear Admiral and served as a senior deputy commander of the IRGC Navy.
He has now been appointed Commander of the IRGC Navy.
Hossein Taeb: Return to Leadership of Basij Organization
Hojjatoleslam val-Moslemin Hossein Taeb is a veteran IRGC figure with experience in intelligence, security, cultural and Basij affairs.
Taeb held several positions within the IRGC before moving into intelligence and security responsibilities. His previous posts include IRGC Intelligence Deputy, commander of IRGC Intelligence Protection and commander of the Basij Resistance Force.
He was appointed commander of the Basij in 2008 and became head of the IRGC Intelligence Organization in 2009.
Taeb led the IRGC Intelligence Organization for more than a decade before stepping down in 2022. He subsequently continued his work as an adviser to the IRGC Commander-in-Chief.
He has now returned to a senior position within the organization after being appointed President of the Basij Organization.
The appointments collectively place a group of experienced commanders with backgrounds spanning battlefield operations, intelligence, security, administration and strategic planning in some of Iran’s most important military leadership positions.
Source: Iran’s Media
