Warning from Major General Baqeri about 'Enemy's Efforts to Spread Regional Turmoil to Iran'

The Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, warned on Sunday that enemies are attempting to 'spread regional turmoil to Iran' and emphasized that timely and effective responses to threats are 'vital'. According to Tasnim News Agency, on Sunday, July 20, Baqeri referred to his recent meeting with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic and stated that constructive interaction among the four military-security forces of the Islamic Republic is one of the expectations of Ayatollah Khamenei. The military-security forces in Iran are categorized into four branches: the IRGC, the Army, the Law Enforcement Force, and the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, with the Supreme Leader holding the highest command over these forces according to the Constitution. The Supreme Leader not only appoints senior commanders of the military-security forces but also oversees coordination among the armed forces through the General Staff, which has recently undergone changes in leadership and deputy positions after nearly three decades. Major General Baqeri, who has recently been appointed as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, emphasized in his remarks on Sunday that enhancing the capabilities and readiness of the armed forces, boosting popular mobilization in all dimensions, and ensuring timely and effective responses to any level and type of threats are the four main missions assigned to the General Staff of the Armed Forces. He also referred to the 'widespread turmoil' in neighboring countries and the 'enemy's efforts' to infiltrate and spread this turmoil into the country, calling effective responses to any level and type of threats 'vital'. The new Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces also declared 'assisting the oppressed in the region against oppression, aggression, and terrorist attacks' as one of the 'top priorities of the armed forces' during his inauguration on July 15. Since the end of the eight-year war with Iraq in 1988, the Islamic Republic of Iran has not engaged in any direct wars with other countries, but currently, according to reports, it is involved in internal conflicts in four countries: Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon by sending military and logistical assistance to allied governments or groups. In recent years, some military commanders have described the conflicts in the region as 'proxy wars', including Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, the commander of the Army Ground Force, who stated in April this year that 'we are facing a new atmosphere of proxy wars in Syria'. On July 8, the Supreme Leader changed the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces after 27 years, appointing Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri as the new head. Previously, Hassan Firouzabadi had held the position for 27 years since 1989. Regarding the change in the Chief of Staff, although figures like Ismail Kowsari have referred to his health status and illness, the Tabnak website, close to Mohsen Rezaei, referred to this change as a 'dismissal' and implicitly linked it to Firouzabadi's positive positions on issues such as the JCPOA. In the recent changes in the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the Supreme Leader also appointed Abdolrahim Mousavi, the deputy commander of the Army, as the deputy chief and Ali Abdollahi as the coordinating deputy of this staff. These positions were previously held by Gholamali Rashid and Hassan Hosseini Saadi, respectively. Major General Rashid, an experienced commander of the IRGC, is now in charge of the Central Headquarters of Khatam al-Anbiya in the General Staff of the Armed Forces by the decree of Ayatollah Khamenei, and on Sunday, Major General Hosseini Saadi, an experienced commander of the Army, was appointed as his deputy. The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters was a joint command of the IRGC and the Army of Iran for coordinating war-related matters during the Iran-Iraq war and before the establishment of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.