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Mohammad Reza Zahedi

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Sardar

Mohammad Reza Zahedi
Zahedi in 2017
Native name
محمدرضا زاهدی
Other name(s)
See list:
  • Mohammad Riza Zahdi[1]
  • Reza Mahdavi[1]
  • Hasan Mahdawi[1]
  • Ali Reza Zahedi[1]
  • Ali Zahedi[2]
Born(1960-11-02)2 November 1960[3]
Isfahan, Imperial State of Iran
Died1 April 2024(2024-04-01) (aged 63)
Mezzeh, Damascus, Syria[4]
Cause of deathAssassination by airstrike
Allegiance Islamic Republic of Iran
Service / branch IRGC
Years of service1980–2024
RankMajor-General
Commands
Battles / wars

Mohammad Reza Zahedi (Persian: محمدرضا زاهدی; 2 November 1960 – 1 April 2024) was an Iranian military officer. A senior figure within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), he had previously commanded the IRGC Aerospace Force and the IRGC Ground Forces,[6] and was commanding the Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria at the time of his death.[2]

In 2024, Zahedi was killed by an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.[7][8] According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, he was the only Iranian to sit on the Shura, or guiding council, of Hezbollah.[9] According to The Guardian, he was most likely a critical figure in coordinating Iran's relationship with Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Assad government of Syria.[10]

Canada, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Sweden, and the United States have designated either or both the IRGC and/or the Quds Force as terrorist organizations.

Military career

Zahedi joined the IRGC at the age of 19[5] and served as a mid-level officer during the Iran–Iraq War. He led the 44th Qamar Beni Hashem Division from 1983 to 1986 and later headed the 14th Imam Hossein Division from 1986 to 1991. He was also the commander of the Thar-Allah Headquarters in Tehran and had been the deputy of IRGC operations.[6] He was briefly the commander of the IRGC Air Force in 2005.[5] On 21 January 2006, he was appointed as the commander of the IRGC Ground Forces.[6] From 2007 to 2015, he headed the Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon.[3]

Quds Force

In 2008, Soleimani appointed Zahedi to the position of commander of the Quds Force's Lebanon Corps for a second time.[11] This tenure lasted until his assassination by Israel in 2024. Iran's involvement in the Syrian Civil War on the side of the government of Bashar al-Assad has been a source of contention for Israel.[4] Irani advisors and Iran-backed fighters have aided in tipping the balance in favor of Assad's government.[12] According to Al Jazeera, Israeli media had frequently published images of him along with Saeed Izadi, a top Iranian military liaison to Palestinians who was initially rumored to have been killed in the same strike, as the main IRGC-Quds Force officials sought by the country.[5]

Death

Main article: 2024 Iranian consulate airstrike in Damascus

"Ultimately, he reached his longstanding wish for martyrdom. I cannot say anything other than he was rewarded by God."

Zahedi's son on his father's death.[5]

On 1 April 2024, Zahedi was killed by an Israeli airstrike that targeted the consulate annex building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Syria's Damascus.[7] Fifteen others were killed in the airstrike.[13] The strike caused "massive destruction" to the consulate building as well as damage to neighbouring buildings,[14] including the Canadian embassy.[9] Zahedi is the most senior IRGC officer to have been killed since the assassination of Qasem Soleimani by the United States in January 2020.[15] After his death, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran condemned the attacks and said that the country reserves the right to execute a "decisive response" against the "aggressors" behind the airstrike, though the Israeli government avoided issuing any statements claiming responsibility.[16]

Retaliation

On 13 April 2024, Iran launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel; the Israeli government stated that it intercepted 99% of the Iranian projectiles, but the attack critically injured a child.[17] On 19 April 2024, Israel attacked an Iranian air defense system in response to the drone and missile barrage a week prior.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Recent OFAC Actions". U.S. Department of the Treasury. 16 August 2010. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d "Brigadier General Mohammad Reza (Ali) Zahedi". Iran Briefing. 28 January 2012. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  3. ^ a b "سردار محمدرضا زاهدی که بود؟" [Who was Sardar Mohammad Reza Zahedi?]. Mehr News Agency (in Persian). 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Israeli Airstrike Kills Iranian Commander in Syria". Iran International. 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Motamedi, Maziar (2 April 2024). "Who was Mohammad Reza Zahedi, an Iranian general killed by Israel in Syria?". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Leader Appoints New IRGC Ground Force and Air Force Commanders". The Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 21 January 2006. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Iran says Israel bombs its embassy in Syria, kills commanders". Reuters. Damascus. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Israeli airstrike on Iran consulate in Syria kills six including IRGC commander". The Guardian. 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  9. ^ a b Dyer, Evan (9 April 2024). "Canadian embassy in Syria damaged in Israeli strike on Iranian embassy next door". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  10. ^ "Mohammad Reza Zahedi: who was the Iranian commander killed in an Israeli strike in Syria?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Who was the Iranian military commander killed in the Damascus strike?". Arab News. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Car bomb in the Syrian capital kills one. Drone strike near Lebanon border targets two vehicles". Associated Press. 25 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Woman and her son among 16 people killed in Israeli raid on building attached to Iranian embassy". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  14. ^ Atay Alam, Hande; Pourahmadi, Adam; John, Tara; Kent, Lauren; Goodwin, Allegra (1 April 2024). "Top Iranian commander killed in attack on consulate in Syria, Iran state-affiliated media reports". CNN. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  15. ^ Ravid, Barak (1 April 2024). "Top Iranian general killed by Israeli airstrike: sources". Axios. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Senior Iranian commander killed in Israeli strike, Iran state media says". BBC News. April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  17. ^ Williams, Dan; Hafezi, Parisa (13 April 2024). "Sirens and blasts sound across Israel after Iran launches drone attack". Reuters. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  18. ^ "Satellite imagery shows that a precision attack damaged an air defense system at an Iranian base". The New York Times. 20 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of the Revolutionary Guard Air Force
25 August 2005 – 21 January 2006 		Succeeded byas Commander of Aerospace Force
Preceded by Commander of the Revolutionary Guard Ground Force
21 January 2006 – 13 July 2008 		Succeeded by
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