Hossein Salami
Hossein Salami (Persian: حسین سلامی; born 1960) is an Iranian military officer who is the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Born in Golpayegan, he joined the IRGC when the Iran–Iraq War started, when he was a college student. He rose through the ranks, becoming deputy commander. On 21 April 2019, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, appointed him as the new Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, replacing major general Mohammad Ali Jafari.
Sardar major general Hossein Salami | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960 (age 63–64) Golpayegan, Imperial State of Iran |
| Allegiance | Iran |
| Service/ | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps |
| Years of service | 1981–present |
| Rank | Major general |
| Commands held | |
| Battles/wars | Iran–Iraq War War against the Islamic State 2024 Iran–Israel conflict |
Salami stands out among the commanders of the IRGC for his use of fiery and aggressive speeches targeting the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. He has been described as a "top practitioner of psychological warfare". According to researcher Mehdi Khalaji, he has relied on "innovatively circumventing economic sanctions, developing Iran’s missile programme and maintaining the regime’s defiant regional policy".