IRGC Commander Hossein Salami
On 21 April 2019 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed 59-year old Hossein Salami as the new chief commander for the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, the IRGC. Salami had been the IRGC's deputy commander for almost ten years. While appointing him as chief commander Khamenei promoted Salami to the rank of Major General and asked him to boost the military's capabilities "in all areas". Khamenei also called for giving IRGC's command a deeper "spiritual" foundation. This can be understood as even a stronger commitment by the guard to loyalty to the Supreme Leader.
Salami is known for his hard line on domestic and foreign policies. He has often made harsh comments against the United States, Israel, and Europe. In February 2018 he said that "Iran has missile capabilities that are far superior to those of Russia and the United States.” On 13 April 2019 he said he and other members of the IRGC were proud to have been designated a "terrorist" entity by the US government.
"The end of the negotiation and compromise with the United States is war," "The food fare of Iranians feeds 50 million hungry Americans," "Netanyahu must learn to swim in the Mediterranean," ( Zionists) "do not have a way to escape, as much as an operation of our Jerusalem ", "No decision can be made in the region without Iran," "We will answer the visit of military centers with hot lead," "Our response to any military strike is definitely military. It will not be political", these lasting sentences are only part of the strategic remarks of Sardar Salami on various occasions. Hossein Salami, appointed as the new commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), was one of the key military commanders during the Iraqi war on Iran in the 1980s. Salami joined the IRGC at the start of the 1980-88 war of the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein against the Islamic Republic. He served as the commander of 25th Karbala Division, 14th Imam Hossein Division and Noah Headquarters during the eight-year war.
He was born in the city of Golpayegan in Iran's central province of Isfahan in 1960. In 1978, he enrolled in the mechanical engineering department of Iran University of Science and Technology. After the war, he continued his academic studies and graduated with a master's degree in defense management. At IRGC, he has served in several capacities, including the commander of IRGC University of Command and Staff, operations deputy of IRGC Joint Staff, and commander of IRGC Air Force. He was currently a faculty member at Supreme National Defense University.
In a 21 April 2019 decree, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei appointed Salami, who previously served as IRGC's second-in-command, as the new chief commander of the elite force, also promoting him to the rank of major general. Salami replaced Major General Mohammad Ali Ja'fari, who had held the post since September 2007. The Leader issued another decree, appointing General Ja'fari as the new head of Hadhrat Baqiatollah al-A'zam Cultural and Social Headquarters.
In his decree, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the appointment was made in view of Salami's commitment and valuable work experience in large-scale management fields and different posts in the IRGC. “In the light of Major General Mohammad Ali Ja'fari’s opinion about the necessity of change in the [high] command of the IRGC and while thanking a decade of his valuable and voluminous and lasting services, in view of your merits and precious experiences in large-scale management [positions] and various responsibilities [that you shouldered] within the revolutionary, Jihadi and popular institution of the IRGC, I grant you the rank of major general and appoint you as the chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps,” the Leader said in his decree.
The Leader advised Major General Salami to fully upgrade the IRGC's capabilities and preparedness in all fields, while paying due attention to the IRGC's "internal gem," that is, piety and insight. Ayatollah Khamenei also called for major steps to be taken under the new command towards all-out improvement of the IRGC.
The May 2019 change of leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei occurred just days before the second round of US sanctions against Iran. Between 2007 and 2019, Jaafari was in charge of the Revolutionary Guard. The man has served beyond the usual period of militia leadership, which usually lasts ten years. Nevertheless, he still did not complete the entire extension period approved by Khamenei in July 2017. His term was to last until 2020. Jafaari’s request for the end of his term of office just one year before the end of his term, not to retire, but to switch to soft power, did not make sense to observers. Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami underlined that enemies have exhausted all their power and plots against Iran and are now disappointed and tired. "Our enemies are exhausted, depressed, disappointed and defeated more than ever, yet they have not given up threatening and have turned every passage from economy and psychological operations to border insecurity into a battlefield to confront the Islamic Republic of Iran," General Salami said in Tehran on 08 May 2019. "Today, we are at the highest levels of confrontation against the world arrogance, and enemies have no more power and capacity to use," he added.
IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami stressed that the 20 JUne 2019 drone shootdown should alert Washington officials to stay away. The incident sent "a clear message" to the US and other enemies that Iran will show a firm and crushing response to any aggression, he stated. "Borders are our red lines and any enemy which violates them will not go back home and will be annihilated. The only way for enemies is to respect Iran's territorial integrity and national interests," the major general noted.
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