Major General Mohammad Hossein Afshardi, known as Mohammad Bagheri, served as the Chief of the General Staff of Iran’s armed forces from 2016 to 2025. After the 1979 revolution, Bagheri participated in the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. He joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that same year.
According to his own claims, Mohammad Bagheri took part in all military operations during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war.
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On June 28, 2016, Bagheri was appointed by regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei as the successor to Hassan Firouzabadi in the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
Military and Intelligence Background of Mohammad Bagheri
From 2002 to 2014, Bagheri served as the deputy of intelligence and operations at the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Concurrently, from 2007 to 2016, he held the position of coordinating deputy at the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, a key strategic military command under the IRGC. From 2014 to 2016, he also served as deputy for general affairs and joint operations. Before assuming leadership roles in the IRGC, army, or General Staff, Bagheri was promoted to the rank of Major General.
Mohammad Bagheri’s Role in Domestic Repression
A few days after the 1999 Tehran University dormitory unrest, the state-run newspaper Kayhan published a confidential letter. This letter, signed by several IRGC commanders, was addressed to then-president Mohammad Khatami. The commanders wrote at the end of the letter: “We declare that our patience has run out and we do not consider further tolerance permissible if the situation is not addressed.” IRGC commander Bagheri was among the signatories of this threatening letter.
As Chief of the General Staff and a member of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Bagheri was directly responsible for issuing orders to use lethal force against protesters. This includes the protests of December 2017, the nationwide uprising of November 2019, and the countrywide protests of 2022. Bagheri was one of the key decision-makers and staunch advocates of a military crackdown on internal dissent in Iran.
Mohammad Bagheri’s Admission of the Ineffectiveness of Repressive Approaches
On May 26, 2025, during a speech, Bagheri acknowledged the ineffectiveness of the Iranian regime’s repressive methods. He said: “Our highly complex and evolving society requires scientific work. If the police command seeks to act with a hard approach and batons, it will lead nowhere.”
In the case of repression and human rights violations, Mohammad Bagheri held the following positions:
Head of Intelligence and Operations for the IRGC Ground Forces.
Head of Intelligence for the Karbala Headquarters and the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
Coordinating Deputy of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (national level).
Head of the Intelligence Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
Deputy for General Affairs and Joint Operations of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (national level).
Faculty Member of the Supreme National Defense University.
In addition, Iranian state media describe Mohammad Bagheri as “one of the main architects of the concept of ‘preemptive defense’ in Iran’s military doctrine.” This indicates his role in orchestrating terrorist operations abroad.
International Sanctions Against Mohammad Bagheri
On November 4, 2019, Mohammad Bagheri was added to the U.S. Treasury Department’s sanctions list. According to the U.S. government, he and eight other sanctioned individuals were involved in terrorist attacks in Lebanon and Argentina. The U.S. Treasury’s statement noted that Bagheri was appointed by Ali Khamenei as the Chief of the General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, the highest military institution in the country.
Also on November 4, 2019, the Canadian government sanctioned Mohammad Bagheri for human rights violations in Iran and “blatant disregard for human life.”
On October 20, 2022, the European Union sanctioned Mohammad Bagheri, along with two others senior IRGC officials and several Iranian regime-linked industries. The sanctions were imposed due to Iran’s supply of drones to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine.
In November 2022, the Swiss government also sanctioned Mohammad Bagheri, along with one company and two other officials, for Iran’s support of Russia in the Ukraine war. These sanctions further highlight the international scope of Bagheri’s responsibilities.
