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.

General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran
ستاد کل نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران (Persian)
Seal of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
Flag of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
Incumbent
Abdolrahim Mousavi
since 13 June 2025
Iranian Armed Forces
TypeGeneral staff
Reports toMilitary office of the Supreme Leader
AppointerSupreme Leader of Iran
FormationJune 1988
First holderHassan Firouzabadi
DeputyDeputy chief

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.

List of chiefs

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 198819880 yearsnone
1
Mousavi, Mir-HosseinMir-Hossein Mousavi
(born 1942)
198819890–1 yearsnone
Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
1
Firouzabadi, HassanMajor general
Hassan Firouzabadi
(1951–2021)
26 September 198928 June 201626 years, 276 days
Basij
2
Bagheri, MohammadMajor general
Mohammad Bagheri
(c. 1960–2025)
28 June 201613 June 2025 †8 years, 350 days
IRGC
Sayyari, HabibollahRear admiral
Habibollah Sayyari
(born 1955)
Acting
13 June 202513 June 20250 days
NEDAJA
3
Mousavi, AbdolrahimMajor general
Abdolrahim Mousavi
(born 1960)
13 June 2025Incumbent187 days
NEZAJA

Timeline

List of deputy chiefs

No. Portrait Deputy Chief Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch Chief Ref.
1
Firouzabadi, HassanMajor general
Hassan Firouzabadi
(1951–2021)
198826 September 19890–1 years
Basij
Mir-Hossein Mousavi
2
Forouzandeh, MohammadMajor general
Mohammad Forouzandeh
(born 1960)
30 September 198911 September 19933 years, 346 days
IRGC
Hassan Firouzabadi
3
Shirazi, Ali SayadLieutenant general
Ali Sayad Shirazi
(1944–1999)
11 September 199310 April 1999 †5 years, 211 days
NEZAJA
Hassan Firouzabadi
4
Rashid, Gholam AliMajor general
Gholam Ali Rashid
(1953–2025)
April 1999July 201617 years, 3 months
IRGC
Hassan Firouzabadi
5
Mousavi, AbdolrahimMajor general
Abdolrahim Mousavi
(born 1960)
5 July 2016August 20171 year
NEZAJA
Mohammad Bagheri
6
Salehi, AtaollahMajor general
Ataollah Salehi
(born 1950)
August 20172 July 20191 year, 11 months
NEZAJA
Mohammad Bagheri
7
Ashtiani, Mohammad-Reza GharaeiBrigadier general
Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani
(born c. 1960)
2 July 201919 September 20212 years, 79 days
NEZAJA
Mohammad Bagheri
8
Nasirzadeh, AzizBrigadier general
Aziz Nasirzadeh
(born 1965)
19 September 202128 August 20242 years, 344 days
NAHAJA
Mohammad Bagheri
(7)
Ashtiani, Mohammad-Reza GharaeiBrigadier general
Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani
(born c. 1960)
28 August 2024Incumbent1 year, 111 days
NEZAJA
Mohammad Bagheri
Abdolrahim Mousavi

Timeline

See also

wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, What is General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran? What does General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran mean?