Khamenei Continues Changing Senior Commanders of Armed Forces

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with Iranian officials and ambassadors of Islamic countries, in Tehran, Iran, April 25, 2017. Leader.ir/Handout via REUTERS
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with Iranian officials and ambassadors of Islamic countries, in Tehran, Iran, April 25, 2017. Leader.ir/Handout via REUTERS
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Khamenei Continues Changing Senior Commanders of Armed Forces

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with Iranian officials and ambassadors of Islamic countries, in Tehran, Iran, April 25, 2017. Leader.ir/Handout via REUTERS
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with Iranian officials and ambassadors of Islamic countries, in Tehran, Iran, April 25, 2017. Leader.ir/Handout via REUTERS

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei continued changing senior commanders of the armed forces. In the latest sudden change, Khamenei issued two separate decrees on Monday appointing Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi as new commander-in-chief for Army and assigning a new post to former Commander Major General Ataollah Salehi as deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces.

General Mousavi was deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces prior to his appointment.

Praising the two-star general for his “genuine service” and “valuable experience and record of commandership”, Khamenei said that Salehi has been appointed to the new post upon a proposal by Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri.

Notably, General Salehi was commander of Iranian Army for 12 years prior to his appointment.

In this context, and in the decree in which Mousavi has risen to the rank of major general and has been assigned to the Army Chief, Khamenei stressed the need for a “revolutionary attitude” in commanding the Army in order to “boost the combat capabilities and preparedness” of the forces.

He has repeatedly stressed the need for strengthening the country’s military power and called on the Armed Forces to maintain a high level of preparedness.

Khamenei also thanked Salehi and Mousavi for their loyal services to the Islamic Republic and wished them good luck in their new military posts.

Mousavi, 57, served as armed forces deputy chief of staff from 2016 to 2017. He was second-in-command of the Army from 2008 to 2016.

For his part, Salehi, 67, served as the Army chief from 2005 until 2017. As head of Iran's regular military he was a member of the Supreme National Security Council; Salehi was the third Army chief since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The new appointment came one day after the parliament gave the highest votes for Brigadier General Amir Hatami to confirm him as defense minister.



Nobel Laureate Mohammadi Says Iran Issuing Death Threats

Narges Mohammadi has been jailed repeatedly over the past 25 years - AFP
Narges Mohammadi has been jailed repeatedly over the past 25 years - AFP
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Nobel Laureate Mohammadi Says Iran Issuing Death Threats

Narges Mohammadi has been jailed repeatedly over the past 25 years - AFP
Narges Mohammadi has been jailed repeatedly over the past 25 years - AFP

Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi, who won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her fight for women's and human rights in Iran, has received death threats from Tehran, the Nobel Committee said Friday.

Mohammadi, who has spent much of the past decade behind bars, was released from Tehran's Evin prison in December for a limited period on medical leave, with her legal team repeatedly warning that she could be re-arrested at any time, AFP reported.

Norwegian Nobel Committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes said in a statement he had received an "urgent phone call" from Mohammadi, 53, who said her life was now in danger.

"The clear message, in her own words, is that 'I have been directly and indirectly threatened with 'physical elimination' by agents of the regime'," he said.

"The threats conveyed to Ms. Mohammadi make it clear that her security is at stake, unless she commits to end all public engagement within Iran, as well as any international advocacy or media appearances in support of democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression," the statement added.

The Committee said it was "deeply concerned" about the threats against Mohammadi and "all Iranian citizens with a critical voice, and call upon the authorities to safeguard not only their lives, but also their freedom of expression."

Mohammadi has been repeatedly tried and jailed for her vocal campaigning against Iran's widespread use of capital punishment and its mandatory dress code for women.

She won the Nobel primarily for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran. Her children collected the award on her behalf as she was in prison at the time.