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Hossein Salami

Updated: Wikipedia source

Hossein Salami

Hossein Salami (Persian: حسین سلامی;‎ 1960 – 13 June 2025) was an Iranian military officer who served as the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from 2019 until 2025, when he was killed by an Israeli airstrike during the Iran–Israel war. Salami joined the IRGC during the Iran–Iraq War in 1980, when he was a college student. He rose through the ranks, becoming deputy commander. On 21 April 2019, the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, appointed him as the new Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, replacing major general Mohammad Ali Jafari. Salami stood out among the commanders of the IRGC for his fiery and aggressive speeches targeting the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.

Infobox

Native name
حسین سلامی
Born
1960 (1960)Golpayegan, Imperial State of Iran
Died
13 June 2025(2025-06-13) (aged 64–65)Tehran, Iran
Cause of death
Assassination by airstrike
Allegiance
Iran
Branch
IRGC
Years of service
1980–2025
Rank
Major general
Commands
mw- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps University of Command and Staff IRGC Air Force
Conflicts
Iran–Iraq WarIranian intervention in IraqIran–Israel war †
Awards
Order of Fath (1st class)
Service years
1980–2025

Tables

· External links
Preceded byMohammad Reza Zahedias Commander of Air Force
Preceded byMohammad Reza Zahedias Commander of Air Force
Military offices
Preceded byMohammad Reza Zahedias Commander of Air Force
Military offices
Commander of the Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Force 21 January 2006 – 4 October 2009
Military offices
Succeeded byAmir Ali Hajizadeh
Preceded byMohammad Hejazi
Preceded byMohammad Hejazi
Military offices
Preceded byMohammad Hejazi
Military offices
Deputy Commander of the Revolutionary Guards 4 October 2009 – 21 April 2019
Military offices
Succeeded byAli Fadavi
Preceded byMohammad Ali Jafari
Preceded byMohammad Ali Jafari
Military offices
Preceded byMohammad Ali Jafari
Military offices
Commander of the Revolutionary Guards 21 April 2019 – 13 June 2025
Military offices
Succeeded byMohammad Pakpour
Military offices
Preceded byMohammad Reza Zahedias Commander of Air Force
Commander of the Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Force 21 January 2006 – 4 October 2009
Succeeded byAmir Ali Hajizadeh
Preceded byMohammad Hejazi
Deputy Commander of the Revolutionary Guards 4 October 2009 – 21 April 2019
Succeeded byAli Fadavi
Preceded byMohammad Ali Jafari
Commander of the Revolutionary Guards 21 April 2019 – 13 June 2025
Succeeded byMohammad Pakpour

References

  1. reuters
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-guards/khamenei-names-new-chief-for-irans-revolutionary-guards-idUSKCN1RX0JN
  2. CNN
    https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/13/middleeast/israel-iran-strikes-military-deaths-intl-hnk
  3. "Biography of Hossein Salami"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150627021601/http://akhale.ir/linkdooni/show.php?id=2954
  4. "Major General Hossein Salami: Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps"
    https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/hossein-salami
  5. "Hossein Salami IRGC commander killed in israeli strike"
    https://iranwire.com/en/politics/142048-profile-hossein-salami-irgc-commander-killed-in-israeli-strike/
  6. irna
    https://en.irna.ir/news/85860936/I-R-G-C-s-Chief-Commander-Maj-Gen-Hossein-Salami-and-others
  7. "Iran's Hossein Salami: A top practitioner of psychological warfare"
    https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/iran-s-hossein-salami-a-top-practitioner-of-psychological-warfare-1.879019
  8. Mehr News Agency
    https://en.mehrnews.com/news/141970/Iran-s-strategy-is-to-wipe-Israel-off-political-geography
  9. NYT
    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/21/world/middleeast/iran-revolutionary-guards-leader.html
  10. "Iran's guards commander vows "severe revenge" on U.S. over Soleimani's assassination"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20200111025947/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-01/08/c_138686151.htm
  11. "Photos of Iranians flooding the streets for Soleimani's funeral show how much he was revered, and hint at how hard Iran may strike back"
    https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-soleimani-funeral-crowds-indicate-force-revenge-2020-1
  12. "CNN: Iranian military official offers apology for Ukraine plane crash"
    https://www.unian.info/world/10827176-cnn-iranian-military-official-offers-apology-for-ukraine-plane-crash.html
  13. IRNA English
    https://en.irna.ir/news/85443703/Operation-against-Israel-more-successful-than-expected-IRGC/
  14. The Times of Israel
    https://www.timesofisrael.com/young-girl-seriously-hurt-in-iran-attack-remains-in-life-threatening-condition/
  15. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/04/13/world/israel-iran-gaza-war-news
  16. Haaretz
    https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-04-14/ty-article-live/biden-doubles-down-on-iran-warning-dont-u-s-move-additional-assets-to-region/0000018e-d491-d161-ab8f-f4f583d30000?liveBlogItemId=1374552018
  17. NBC News
    http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-attack-strikes-live-updates-rcna147477
  18. "Israeli airstrikes eliminate senior Iranian military officials"
    https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/06/israeli-airstrikes-eliminate-senior-iranian-military-officials.php
  19. "Hossein Salami, Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief, killed by Israel"
    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyg0yywr4no
  20. "Israeli strikes kill some of Iran's most powerful men, including military and nuclear leaders"
    https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/13/middleeast/israel-iran-strikes-military-deaths-intl-hnk
  21. "فرماندهان کل سپاه از ابتدا تا امروز چه کسانی بودند؟"
    https://donya-e-eqtesad.com/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%B3%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-62/3758289-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D9%84-%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%AA%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%DA%86%D9%87-%DA%A9%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF
  22. "فرماندهان سپاه پاسداران از زمان تشکیل تا امروز چه کسانی بودند؟"
    https://www.javanonline.ir/fa/news/1044946/%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B2%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AA%D8%B4%DA%A9%DB%8C%D9%84-%D8%AA%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%DA%86%D9%87-%DA%A9%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF
  23. ماهنامه دفاع مقدس
    https://hds.sndu.ac.ir/issue_209_210.html
  24. اطلاعات علمی ایران
  25. Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs
    https://jcpa.org/irans-new-revolutionary-guards-commander-threatens-the-u-s-and-israel/
  26. "خبرگزاری فارس − سردار سلامی جانشین فرمانده کل سپاه شد"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20151222153710/http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8807121639
  27. The Journalism post
    https://www.jpost.com/Iranian-Threat/News/Iranian-IRGC-commander-Our-hands-remains-on-the-trigger-to-attack-Israel-345038
  28. Tehran Times
    https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/435220/400-professors-call-on-Salami-to-reshape-IRGC
  29. Critical Threats
    https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/iran-update-march-11-2024#_edn047f8caa10e3b5794c74ed0e874cb8b2ref48
  30. Tehran Times
    https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/496071/Leader-awards-Fath-Medal-to-Army-and-IRGC-chiefs
  31. "UN Security Council Resolutions on Iran"
    https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/un-security-council-resolutions-iran?utm_
  32. "Resolution 1737 (2006)"
    https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/unsc_res1737-2006.pdf?utm_
  33. United States Department of State
    https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2007/oct/94193.htm
  34. "Resolution 1747 (2007)"
    https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/unsc_res1747-2007.pdf
  35. شهروند
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190512083707/https://shahrvand.com/archives/42177
  36. "Khamenei changed the commander of the Revolutionary Guards; "Salami" has repeatedly mentioned the missile threat of Israel and the West"
    https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-sepah-supreme-leader/4885040.html
  37. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/08/world/middleeast/trump-iran-revolutionary-guard-corps.html
  38. "Hossein Salami The New Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps"
    https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/app/uploads/2019/05/E_093_19.pdf
  39. "EU sanctions elite Iran commander, seven others over 2019 protests"
    https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/eu-sanctions-iran-militia-police-three-prisons-over-2019-protests-2021-04-12/?utm_
  40. Christians United for Israel
    https://cufi.org/issue/eu-sanctions-elite-iran-commander-seven-others-over-2019-protests/
  41. globalnews.ca
    https://globalnews.ca/news/9171749/canada-iran-sanctions-mahsa-amini-death-2/
  42. POLITICO
    https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-sanctions-iran-lethal-fuel-protest/
  43. "EU sanctions elite Iran commander, seven others over 2019 protests"
    https://www.reuters.com/article/world/eu-sanctions-elite-iran-commander-seven-others-over-2019-protests-idUSKBN2BZ1ZR/?utm_
  44. UANI
    https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/sanctioned-person/salami-hossein?utm_
  45. The Kyiv Independent
    https://kyivindependent.com/eu-imposes-sanctions-on-iranian-individuals-entities-involved-in-the-transfer-of-drones-to-russia/
  46. The Jerusalem Post
    https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-857591
  47. "Saudi Arabia to collapse over 'sectarian' policies: Iranian general"
    https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/252067/Saudi-Arabia-to-collapse-over-sectarian-policies-Iranian-general
  48. The most memorable quotes from new IRGC chief commander Hossein Salami. Al-Arabiya English
    https://english.alarabiya.net/features/2019/04/22/The-most-memorable-quotes-by-newly-appointed-IRGC-chief-commander-Hossein-Salami
  49. The Atlantic
    https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/03/Iranian-View-of-Israel/387085/
  50. "Iranian commander threatens Israel's destruction if it attacks: state TV"
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-israel/iranian-commander-threatens-israels-destruction-if-it-attacks-state-tv-idUSKCN1PM144/
  51. Voice of America
    https://www.voanews.com/a/middle-east_top-iran-general-says-destroying-israel-achievable-goal/6176740.html
  52. Middle East Monitor
    https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231118-death-to-child-murderers-iranians-hold-nationwide-rallies-against-genocide-of-children-in-gaza/
  53. "سردار سلامی: عالم استکبار برای سیطره بر جهان اسلام حد و مرزی نمی‌شناسد"
    https://www.irna.ir/news/85468517/%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%DA%A9%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%B7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%87%DB%8C%DA%86-%D8%AD%D8%AF-%D9%88-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%B2%DB%8C
  54. "سخنرانی فرمانده کل سپاه در مراسم روز جهانی قدس - ۱۷ فروردین ۱۴۰۳"
    https://telewebion.com/episode/0xc60cb88
  55. "سخنرانی فرمانده‌ کل سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی سردار سلامی در دانشگاه تهران"
    https://telewebion.com/episode/0xc610b48
  56. Al Arabiya English
    https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2020/01/13/Iran-s-IRGC-chief-We-are-ashamed-over-shooting-down-plane
  57. The Jerusalem Post
    https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Iran-News/Irans-regime-pushes-antisemitic-conspiracies-about-coronavirus-620212
  58. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/29/iran-protests-mahsa-amini-hossein-salami-last-day
  59. AP News
    https://apnews.com/live/israel-iran-attack
  60. Al Jazeera
    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/6/13/live-explosions-reported-in-iran-amid-israel-tensions?update=3771091
  61. ایرنا
    https://www.irna.ir/news/85860919/%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%AA-%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C-%D9%88-%D8%AA%D9%86%DB%8C-%DA%86%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87
  62. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/13/middleeast/israel-iran-strikes-military-deaths-intl-hnk
  63. X (formerly Twitter)
    https://x.com/IranianArForces/status/1933381741118468517
  64. farsnews
    https://www.farsnews.com/news/13970118000959/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%AD-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86
  65. "The brothers: New IRGC leader Salami has influential brother in Iranian armed forces"
    https://www.mideastcenter.org/research-blog/the-brothers-new-irgc-leader-salami-has-influential-brother-in-iranian-armed-forces
  66. "Deputy top commander: Iran standing against threats powerfully"
    https://theiranproject.com/blog/2015/09/23/deputy-top-commander-iran-standing-against-threats-powerfully/
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