Hassan Firouzabadi Removed from Command of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff

On Tuesday, July 8, the leader of the Islamic Republic changed the head of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff after 27 years, appointing Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri as the new head. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also appointed Hassan Firouzabadi, who had served as the head of the General Staff for 27 years, as his advisor. In his decree, Khamenei stated that 'the enhancement of the defensive and security capabilities of the armed forces and the popular mobilization, and the ability to respond promptly and effectively to any level and type of threats facing the Islamic Republic of Iran with revolutionary action is expected.' Mohammad Baqeri, the new head of the General Staff, previously held the position of 'Chief of Staff and Joint Affairs of the Armed Forces.' He received the rank of Major General in 2009 and has also served as the Deputy of Intelligence and Operations of the Armed Forces General Staff. Baqeri is the brother of Hassan (Afshordi) Baqeri, a famous commander of the Iran-Iraq War who was killed in the conflict. Hassan Firouzabadi had been the head of the General Staff since 1989. The U.S. government sanctioned Hassan Firouzabadi in 2011 along with Abdollah Araqi, the deputy commander of the Ground Forces of the IRGC, for 'serious human rights violations in Iran.' Under these sanctions, U.S. citizens are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with these individuals, and all their potential assets in the U.S. are blocked. Both individuals had previously been listed in the EU sanctions list as well.