Mohammad Bagheri (1960-2025) Biography, Family

Quick Info

Profession	Military Officer
Nationality	Iranian
Date of Birth	01/06/1960
Age	65 years (died on 13, Jun, 2025)
Birthplace	Tehran, Imperial State of Iran
Date of Death	13/06/2025

Latest News about Mohammad Bagheri

13/06/2025

Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran's Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, was killed on June 13, 2025, in Israeli strikes targeting Tehran's defense leaders. Bagheri had served as the country's highest-ranking military officer since his appointment by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on June 28, 2016, overseeing Iran's military operations, intelligence integration, and defense modernization until his death.

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Bio/Wiki

Birth Name	Mohammad-Hossein Afshordi

Physical Stats & More

Height	5' 10" (178 cm)
Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Grey

Educational Qualification(s)

Degrees	A degree in Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology PhD in Political Geography from Tarbiat Modares University

Personal Life

Religion	Islam

Relationships & More

Controversies	In April 2017, faced criticism over gifting practices in the military after a lawmaker claimed he received a bottle of French cologne. In 2022 was sanctioned by several countries for role in human rights violations and military assistance to Russia. As Chief of Staff and member of the Supreme National Security Council, was directly responsible for issuing orders to use lethal force against protesters during December 2017 protests, November 2019 nationwide uprising, and 2022 countrywide protests.

Controversies

In April 2017, faced criticism over gifting practices in the military after a lawmaker claimed he received a bottle of French cologne.
In 2022 was sanctioned by several countries for role in human rights violations and military assistance to Russia.
As Chief of Staff and member of the Supreme National Security Council, was directly responsible for issuing orders to use lethal force against protesters during December 2017 protests, November 2019 nationwide uprising, and 2022 countrywide protests.

Family

Siblings	Brother: Hassan Bagheri (former deputy commander of IRGC's Ground Forces, deceased)

Career

Service Branch	Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
Service Years	1979-2025
Rank	Major General
Commands	Operations and Intelligence Deputy of General Staff Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence and Operations, General Staff Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (2016-2025) Coordinating Deputy at Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (2007-2016) Deputy for General Affairs and Joint Operations (2014-2016)
Battles/Wars	1979 Kurdish rebellion in Iran Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) Syrian Civil War (2011)
Awards	Order of Fath Order of Nasr
Military Contributions	Joined the IRGC in 1980. Involved in military response during the 1979 Kurdish conflict and many key battles in the Iran-Iraq War. Promoted the use of drones and intelligence gathering. Visited Turkey in 2017 to discuss military roles in Syria and Iraq. Participated in the 1979 U.S. embassy seizure in Tehran. Played a key role in designing and approving the 1996 operation to attack Iraqi soil against terrorist groups. Oversaw expansion of military production, particularly drone and ballistic missile technology. Sought to expand Islamic Republic's military ties to Russia, Belarus, regional proxies, and China. Integrated intelligence, developed missile capabilities, strengthened cyber warfare capacities, and advanced Iran's cross-border operations. Contributed to strategic enhancement of Iranian Defense Forces through formulation of new security theories. Fundamental figure in advancing Iran's military self-sufficiency.

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. He hailed from a family originally from Afshord village in Iran.
2. Participated in the 1979 U.S. embassy seizure during his first year of engineering studies.
3. Led military operations alongside his brother, Hassan.
4. Appointed as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in 2016.
5. In 2025, he engaged in significant discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defence.
6. Taught at Iran's Supreme National Defense University.
7. Refused to report to President Hassan Rouhani, arguing that Khamenei authorized him to act independently.
8. Retained his position as Chief of Staff following Ebrahim Raisi's ascension to the presidency.

Mohammad Bagheri Military Officer Iranian Tehran, Imperial State of Iran