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Abdolrahim Mousavi

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Amir
Major General
Sayyid
Abdolrahim Mousavi
عبدالرحیم موسوی
Mousavi in 2019
4th Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces
In office
13 June 2025 – 28 February 2026
DeputyMohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani
Preceded byMohammad Bagheri
4th Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Army
In office
21 April 2017 – 13 June 2025
Preceded byAtaollah Salehi
Succeeded byAmir Hatami
Personal details
Born1960 (1960)
Qom, Imperial State of Iran
(present-day Iran)
Died28 February 2026(2026-02-28) (aged 65–66)
Tehran, Iran
Manner of deathAssassination by airstrike
Awards Order of Fath (1st class)
Military service
Allegiance Iran
Branch/service Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces
Years of service1979–2026
Rank Major general
CommandsIranian Armed Forces
Ground Forces
Battles/warsIran–Iraq War
Twelve-Day War
2026 Iran war X

Abdolrahim Mousavi (1960 – 28 February 2026) was an Iranian military officer who was the chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces from June 2025 until his death in February 2026. He assumed the position following the death of his predecessor, Mohammad Bagheri, during the Twelve-Day War. He also served as the chief of staff and commander-in-chief of the Iranian Army from 2017 to 2025.

Career

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Early years

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Mousavi's military career began in 1979.[1] During the 1980–88 Iran–Iraq War, he served in the Iranian Army's artillery units on various fronts, including with the 28th Kurdistan Division in Kurdistan province, and with the 33rd Artillery Group in Khuzestan province.[1]

From 1999 to 2005, he served as the Chief of the Joint Staff of the Ground Forces.[1] From 2008 to 2016, he was Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Army.[1] From 2016 to 2017, he was deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces.[1][2] In 2017 he was promoted from Brigadier General to Major General, and from August 2017 to June 2025, he served as the chief of staff of the Ground Forces.[1]

2017–2026

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In August 2017, he said that the “martyrdom-seeking and jihadi spirit of the Iranian people” made it impossible for the United States and its allies to attack Iran militarily.[3]

In January 2018 he referred to the United States as the "Great Satan". That year he also said that his “greatest wish is the annihilation of Israel.”[4]

In September 2019, he said that the United States is "like an animal that would chase after you if you run away, and would run away if you attack them."[5] In January 2020, after warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump, he said that the United States lacked the “courage to initiate” a conflict with Iran.[6]

Mousavi said in April 2023 that Israel was "too small to be considered a threat to the Islamic Republic of Iran,” as reported by Middle East Monitor.[7] In May 2025 Mousavi dismissed comments by Israeli officials as "bluster", and said that "the Israeli leadership lacks the capacity to harm the greatness of Iran."[8]

On 13 June 2025, Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei appointed Mousavi as the chief of staff of the armed forces, following the killing of Mousavi's predecessor Mohammad Bagheri in the Twelve-Day War.[9]

Sanctions

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In March 2023, Mousavi was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for serious human rights abuses. It said that, in both the November 2019 economic protests and in protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, troops under his command "used machine guns to fire indiscriminately into crowds of protestors".[10] He was also listed on sanctions lists of the European Union, United Kingdom, and Australia for serious human rights abuses.[11]

Death

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On 1 March 2026 Iranian state television announced that Mousavi had been killed during the 2026 Iran war.[12] It was reported that he had been killed along with the Ayatollah and the defense minister Aziz Nasirzadeh in Ayatollah's office.[13]

Awards and honours

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On 10 March 2024, Mousavi was awarded an Order of Fath medal (also known as the Victory Medal) by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for "improving the defence, combat, and deterrence power" of the Iranian armed forces.[14] On the same day, a medal was also awarded to commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f 13 June 2025, “Profile: Maj. Gen. Seyed Abdolrahim Mousavi, new Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces,” Press TV.
  2. ^ "زندگی نامه فرماندهان جدید ارتش". aftabir.com. 18 January 2016. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Iran's New Army Chief: Tiniest Mistake Will Shorten Israel's 25-Year Lifespan". Middle East Institute. 18 September 2017.
  4. ^ "Inside Khamenei's war cabinet: how Iran guides its contest with Israel". Iran International. 15 June 2025.
  5. ^ "U.S. backs off when faced with resistance: Army chief". Tehran Times. 7 September 2019.
  6. ^ "US lacks "courage to initiate" conflict: Iran's army commander". Daily News Egypt. 5 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Iran: Israel too small to pose threat, says army chief". Middle East Monitor. 11 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Iran's army chief says forces 'fully prepared' for more attacks on Israel". Iran International. 26 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Israel launches strikes against Iran nuclear and military facilities". France 24. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025. In separate decrees, Khamenei named Mohammad Pakpour to replace Hossein Salami as commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Abdolrahim Mousavi to replace Mohammad Bagheri as chief of the armed forces general staff.
  10. ^ "Marking International Women's Day, Treasury Sanctions Iranian Officials and Entities for Serious Human Rights Abuses". U.S. Treasury Department. 8 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Amir Hatami: Ex-Defence Minister Turns Army Chief after Israeli Strikes Kill Top Generals". The Daily Guardian. 14 June 2025. Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  12. ^ "US-Israeli attack kills Iranian Armed Forces Chief". Times Kuwait. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  13. ^ "Iran confirms two other top commanders killed in US-Israel strikes". www.iranintl.com. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  14. ^ "Iran Update, March 11, 2024". Critical Threats. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  15. ^ "Leader awards Fath Medal to Army and IRGC chiefs". Tehran Times. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
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