Who is Abdolrahim Mousavi, new chief of staff of the Iranian army?
3 Min Read
Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi has been named Chief of Iran’s General Staff of the Armed Forces, replacing Major General Mohammad Bagheri, martyred in a recent Israeli airstrike.
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General Abdelrahim al Mosavi gives a speech at an event, undated, in Iran (Iranian Media)
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, replacing the late Major General Mohammad Bagheri, who was martyred in the Israeli airstrikes on Iran earlier on Friday.
The decision to appoint Major General Mousavi and several other commanders came after Iran announced the martyrdom of IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, and the head of the Iranian Army’s 'Khatam al-Anbiya' Central Headquarters, Major General Gholamali Rashid, along with other military leaders and nuclear scientists.
Major General Mousavi, born in the city of Qom in 1959, joined the Iranian Army in 1979 after earning a Ph.D. in Defense Sciences from the National Defense University, and he is known for his distinguished four-decade-long career, during which he rose through prominent leadership positions within Iran’s military establishment.
Maj. Gen. Mousavi's experience
From 1999 to 2005, Mousavi served as Chief of the Iranian Army's Joint Staff, before assuming the role of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army from 2008 to 2015, a period marked by some of the most sensitive challenges in the country's modern history.
In 2016, Mousavi was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The following year, he was nominated by the Supreme Leader to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Army, a position he held until his recent appointment as Chief of the General Staff.
Throughout his career, Mousavi has also held several other key positions, including serving as president of Imam Ali Military University, commander of the Army's Northeastern Regional Headquarters, and overseer of the Iranian Army's Operations Department.
Major General Mousavi is widely regarded as one of Iran's most prominent military leaders in recent decades, recognized for his exceptional competence and extensive experience in handling sensitive defense and operational matters; a reputation that has earned him the nickname "The Man for Difficult Missions" in military circles, according to Iranian media reports.
The appointment comes as Iran reshuffles its military command following the Israeli attack on Iran, which led to the martyrdom of some of Iran's top military brass.
IRGC chief Hossein Salami martyred in Israeli strike, Al Mayadeen sources confirm
“Several buildings in Tehran… have been targeted by attacks,” the official IRNA news agency said.
The Iranian television reported that the Israeli aggression targeted the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps' headquarters building in Tehran.
Al Mayadeen's sources confirmed the martyrdom of the Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, Major General Hossein Salami.
Our correspondent also reported the martyrdom of nuclear scientists Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi as a result of the Israeli aggression.
Iranian media said that Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei, was injured in the Israeli attack and has been transferred to the hospital, and he is in a critical condition.
Additionally, Iranian television cited unofficial reports suggesting the targeting of Gholam Ali Rashid, commander of the IRGC's Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters.
