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General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran

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General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Persian: ستاد کل نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران, romanized: Setad-e Kol-e Niruha-ye Mosallah-e Jomhuri-ye Islami-ye Iran) is the most senior military body in Iran, to implement policy, monitor and coordinate activities within the Armed Forces. Iran's two existing separate militaries, the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Arteš) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepāh) are formally subordinate to the general staff, as well as Iran's sole national police force, the Police Command. The organization was set up in 1989 to enhance cooperation and counterbalance the rivalry between the armed forces and is directly decreed by Supreme Leader of Iran, while the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics, responsible for planning, logistics and funding of the armed forces is part of the executive branch under the President of Iran. The staff's commander, Mohammed Bagheri, was killed along with 20 other senior officers during the series of Israeli strikes launched on 13 June 2025. He was replaced by Abdolrahim Mousavi.

Infobox

Type
General staff
Reports to
Military office of the Supreme Leader
Appointer
Supreme Leader of Iran
Formation
June 1988
First holder
Hassan Firouzabadi
Deputy
Deputy chief

Tables

· List of chiefs
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani(1934–2017)Acting
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani(1934–2017)Acting
No.
Chief
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani(1934–2017)Acting
Took office
June 1988
Left office
1988
Time in office
0 years
Defence branch
none
Ref.
Mousavi, Mir-HosseinMir-Hossein Mousavi(born 1942)
Mousavi, Mir-HosseinMir-Hossein Mousavi(born 1942)
No.
1
Chief
Mousavi, Mir-HosseinMir-Hossein Mousavi(born 1942)
Took office
1988
Left office
1989
Time in office
0–1 years
Defence branch
none
Ref.
Firouzabadi, HassanMajor generalHassan Firouzabadi(1951–2021)
Firouzabadi, HassanMajor generalHassan Firouzabadi(1951–2021)
No.
1
Chief
Firouzabadi, HassanMajor generalHassan Firouzabadi(1951–2021)
Took office
26 September 1989
Left office
28 June 2016
Time in office
26 years, 276 days
Defence branch
Basij
Bagheri, MohammadMajor generalMohammad Bagheri(c. 1960–2025)
Bagheri, MohammadMajor generalMohammad Bagheri(c. 1960–2025)
No.
2
Chief
Bagheri, MohammadMajor generalMohammad Bagheri(c. 1960–2025)
Took office
28 June 2016
Left office
13 June 2025 †
Time in office
8 years, 350 days
Defence branch
IRGC
Sayyari, HabibollahRear admiralHabibollah Sayyari(born 1955)Acting
Sayyari, HabibollahRear admiralHabibollah Sayyari(born 1955)Acting
No.
Chief
Sayyari, HabibollahRear admiralHabibollah Sayyari(born 1955)Acting
Took office
13 June 2025
Left office
13 June 2025
Time in office
0 days
Defence branch
NEDAJA
Mousavi, AbdolrahimMajor generalAbdolrahim Mousavi(born 1960)
Mousavi, AbdolrahimMajor generalAbdolrahim Mousavi(born 1960)
No.
3
Chief
Mousavi, AbdolrahimMajor generalAbdolrahim Mousavi(born 1960)
Took office
13 June 2025
Left office
Incumbent
Time in office
181 days
Defence branch
NEZAJA
No.
Portrait
Chief
Took office
Left office
Time in office
Defence branch
Ref.
Chief of the Headquarters of the General Command of Forces
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani(1934–2017)Acting
June 1988
1988
0 years
none
1
Mousavi, Mir-HosseinMir-Hossein Mousavi(born 1942)
1988
1989
0–1 years
none
Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
1
Firouzabadi, HassanMajor generalHassan Firouzabadi(1951–2021)
26 September 1989
28 June 2016
26 years, 276 days
Basij
2
Bagheri, MohammadMajor generalMohammad Bagheri(c. 1960–2025)
28 June 2016
13 June 2025 †
8 years, 350 days
IRGC
Sayyari, HabibollahRear admiralHabibollah Sayyari(born 1955)Acting
13 June 2025
13 June 2025
0 days
NEDAJA
3
Mousavi, AbdolrahimMajor generalAbdolrahim Mousavi(born 1960)
13 June 2025
Incumbent
181 days
NEZAJA
· List of deputy chiefs
Firouzabadi, HassanMajor generalHassan Firouzabadi(1951–2021)
Firouzabadi, HassanMajor generalHassan Firouzabadi(1951–2021)
No.
1
Deputy Chief
Firouzabadi, HassanMajor generalHassan Firouzabadi(1951–2021)
Took office
1988
Left office
26 September 1989
Time in office
0–1 years
Defence branch
Basij
Chief
Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Ref.
Forouzandeh, MohammadMajor generalMohammad Forouzandeh(born 1960)
Forouzandeh, MohammadMajor generalMohammad Forouzandeh(born 1960)
No.
2
Deputy Chief
Forouzandeh, MohammadMajor generalMohammad Forouzandeh(born 1960)
Took office
30 September 1989
Left office
11 September 1993
Time in office
3 years, 346 days
Defence branch
IRGC
Chief
Hassan Firouzabadi
Ref.
Shirazi, Ali SayadLieutenant generalAli Sayad Shirazi(1944–1999)
Shirazi, Ali SayadLieutenant generalAli Sayad Shirazi(1944–1999)
No.
3
Deputy Chief
Shirazi, Ali SayadLieutenant generalAli Sayad Shirazi(1944–1999)
Took office
11 September 1993
Left office
10 April 1999 †
Time in office
5 years, 211 days
Defence branch
NEZAJA
Chief
Hassan Firouzabadi
Ref.
Rashid, Gholam AliMajor generalGholam Ali Rashid(1953–2025)
Rashid, Gholam AliMajor generalGholam Ali Rashid(1953–2025)
No.
4
Deputy Chief
Rashid, Gholam AliMajor generalGholam Ali Rashid(1953–2025)
Took office
April 1999
Left office
July 2016
Time in office
17 years, 3 months
Defence branch
IRGC
Chief
Hassan Firouzabadi
Ref.
Mousavi, AbdolrahimMajor generalAbdolrahim Mousavi(born 1960)
Mousavi, AbdolrahimMajor generalAbdolrahim Mousavi(born 1960)
No.
5
Deputy Chief
Mousavi, AbdolrahimMajor generalAbdolrahim Mousavi(born 1960)
Took office
5 July 2016
Left office
August 2017
Time in office
1 year
Defence branch
NEZAJA
Chief
Mohammad Bagheri
Salehi, AtaollahMajor generalAtaollah Salehi(born 1950)
Salehi, AtaollahMajor generalAtaollah Salehi(born 1950)
No.
6
Deputy Chief
Salehi, AtaollahMajor generalAtaollah Salehi(born 1950)
Took office
August 2017
Left office
2 July 2019
Time in office
1 year, 11 months
Defence branch
NEZAJA
Chief
Mohammad Bagheri
Ashtiani, Mohammad-Reza GharaeiBrigadier generalMohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani(born c. 1960)
Ashtiani, Mohammad-Reza GharaeiBrigadier generalMohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani(born c. 1960)
No.
7
Deputy Chief
Ashtiani, Mohammad-Reza GharaeiBrigadier generalMohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani(born c. 1960)
Took office
2 July 2019
Left office
19 September 2021
Time in office
2 years, 79 days
Defence branch
NEZAJA
Chief
Mohammad Bagheri
Nasirzadeh, AzizBrigadier generalAziz Nasirzadeh(born 1965)
Nasirzadeh, AzizBrigadier generalAziz Nasirzadeh(born 1965)
No.
8
Deputy Chief
Nasirzadeh, AzizBrigadier generalAziz Nasirzadeh(born 1965)
Took office
19 September 2021
Left office
28 August 2024
Time in office
2 years, 344 days
Defence branch
NAHAJA
Chief
Mohammad Bagheri
Ashtiani, Mohammad-Reza GharaeiBrigadier generalMohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani(born c. 1960)
Ashtiani, Mohammad-Reza GharaeiBrigadier generalMohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani(born c. 1960)
No.
(7)
Deputy Chief
Ashtiani, Mohammad-Reza GharaeiBrigadier generalMohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani(born c. 1960)
Took office
28 August 2024
Left office
Incumbent
Time in office
1 year, 105 days
Defence branch
NEZAJA
Chief
Mohammad BagheriAbdolrahim Mousavi
No.
Portrait
Deputy Chief
Took office
Left office
Time in office
Defence branch
Chief
Ref.
1
Firouzabadi, HassanMajor generalHassan Firouzabadi(1951–2021)
1988
26 September 1989
0–1 years
Basij
Mir-Hossein Mousavi
2
Forouzandeh, MohammadMajor generalMohammad Forouzandeh(born 1960)
30 September 1989
11 September 1993
3 years, 346 days
IRGC
Hassan Firouzabadi
3
Shirazi, Ali SayadLieutenant generalAli Sayad Shirazi(1944–1999)
11 September 1993
10 April 1999 †
5 years, 211 days
NEZAJA
Hassan Firouzabadi
4
Rashid, Gholam AliMajor generalGholam Ali Rashid(1953–2025)
April 1999
July 2016
17 years, 3 months
IRGC
Hassan Firouzabadi
5
Mousavi, AbdolrahimMajor generalAbdolrahim Mousavi(born 1960)
5 July 2016
August 2017
1 year
NEZAJA
Mohammad Bagheri
6
Salehi, AtaollahMajor generalAtaollah Salehi(born 1950)
August 2017
2 July 2019
1 year, 11 months
NEZAJA
Mohammad Bagheri
7
Ashtiani, Mohammad-Reza GharaeiBrigadier generalMohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani(born c. 1960)
2 July 2019
19 September 2021
2 years, 79 days
NEZAJA
Mohammad Bagheri
8
Nasirzadeh, AzizBrigadier generalAziz Nasirzadeh(born 1965)
19 September 2021
28 August 2024
2 years, 344 days
NAHAJA
Mohammad Bagheri
(7)
Ashtiani, Mohammad-Reza GharaeiBrigadier generalMohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani(born c. 1960)
28 August 2024
Incumbent
1 year, 105 days
NEZAJA
Mohammad BagheriAbdolrahim Mousavi

References

  1. Religion in the Military Worldwide
  2. Iran's Military Forces in Transition: Conventional Threats and Weapons of Mass Destruction
  3. Iran's Security Policy in the Post-Revolutionary Era
    https://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1320.html
  4. Armed Forces in the Middle East: Politics and Strategy
  5. The Military in Post-Revolutionary Iran: The Evolution and Roles of the Revolutionary Guards
  6. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/world/middleeast/iran-military-generals-killed-israel.html
  7. Tehran Times
    https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/514243/General-Mousavi-named-Chief-of-Staff-of-Iran-s-Armed-Forces
  8. Al Arabiya English
    https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2021/09/03/Iran-supreme-leader-s-senior-military-advisor-Firouzabadi-dies-Reports
  9. France 24
    https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20250613-israel-iran-nuclear
  10. The Jerusalem Post
    https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-857596
  11. Nour News
    https://nournews.ir/en/news/228140/news/228140/Habibollah-Sayyari-was-appointed-as-the-acting-commander-of-the-armed-forces
  12. France 24
    https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20250613-israel-iran-nuclear
  13. Fararu
    https://ifpnews.com/army-general-becomes-deputy-chief-staff-iranian-armed-forces/
  14. Islamic Republic News Agency
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190703160856/https://en.irna.ir/news/83378623/Leader-appoints-new-military-commanders
  15. Iran International
    https://old.iranintl.com/en/iran/khamenei-reshuffles-air-force-and-general-staff-commanders
  16. Islamic Republic News Agency
    https://web.archive.org/web/20240828124012/https://en.irna.ir/news/85581406/Brigadier-General-Ashtiani-appointed-as-Deputy-Chief-of-Staff
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