In brief
Iran's military landscape shifts as Brig. Gen. Vahidi takes command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, opening a new chapter marked by historical controversies and existing sanctions.
June 15, 2025, 10:57 a.m. ET In a significant development, Iran announced the appointment of Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi as the new commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) following the death of Gen. Hossein Salami in an Israeli airstrike. This change in leadership comes at a tense time for Iran, with the IRGC central to the country’s military and ideological framework.Brig. Gen. Vahidi is notably recognized internationally due to his suspected involvement in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, which left 85 people dead and hundreds injured. Argentina has issued arrest warrants against him and others, accusing them of orchestrating the attack. Additionally, Interpol placed a Red Notice on him in 2007, seeking to ensure his arrest for these alleged crimes.Born in 1958 in Shiraz, Iran, Vahidi's rise in the military began during the Iranian Revolution in 1979 while he was studying electronic engineering. Subsequently, he joined the IRGC and became involved in revolutionary matters. He later obtained a Ph.D. in strategic studies and held significant roles during the Iran-Iraq war, including leadership of the IRGC's elite Quds Force from 1988 to 1998.His political career saw him serve both as deputy defense minister and later as defense minister from 2009 to 2013, followed by a term as Iran's interior minister until last August. However, his past has led to sanctions imposed by the United States, European Union, Canada, and the United Kingdom due to human rights violations.As Brig. Gen. Vahidi takes command of the IRGC, all eyes will be on how this challenge will shape Iran's military strategies and its interactions on the global stage amid rising tensions.
