Abdol Ali Badrei (29 March 1921 – 11 February 1979) was an Iranian

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

and the last commander of the

Imperial Iranian Army , founded = , current_form = ( Islamic Republic) , disbanded = , branches = , headquarters = Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Tehran , website = , commander-in-chief = Maj. Ge ...

and the

Imperial Guard An imperial guard or palace guard is a special group of troops (or a member thereof) of an empire, typically closely associated directly with the Emperor or Empress. Usually these troops embody a more elite status than other imperial forces, i ...

. He was one of the hardline senior military officers and was assassinated during the course of the regime change in Iran.

Early life and education

Badrei was born in

Kermanshah Kermanshah ( fa, کرمانشاه, Kermânšâh ), also known as Kermashan (; romanized: Kirmaşan), is the capital of Kermanshah Province, located from Tehran in the western part of Iran. According to the 2016 census, its population is 946,68 ...

on 29 March 1921. He graduated from the military academy in Kermanshah and Tehran.

Career

After graduation, Badrei joined the Imperial army as

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

in the Mounted Infantry. His first mission was in 1946 to fight against rebels in Azerbaijan and Kurdistan Province. Then he joined the imperial guards in 1946. In 1967, he was promoted to the rank of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

and served as second in command in the guards. In 1971, he became a

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

and was appointed commander of the immortal guards in 1973. In 1975, he was made

and was appointed commander of the imperial guards in 1976. In February 1979 Badrei publicly stated that the army would not follow the orders of

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Shahpour Bakhtiar. Instead of being reprimanded by the

Shah Shah (; fa, شاه, , ) is a royal title that was historically used by the leading figures of Iranian monarchies.Yarshater, EhsaPersia or Iran, Persian or Farsi, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989) It was also used by a variety of ...

due to these remarks, he was named commander of the ground forces on 10 January, succeeding Gholam Ali Oveissi, who had resigned from office and left Iran. Badrei formed a group to carry a military coup on 10 February, just before the Iranian revolution. He served in the post of the Imperial Ground Forces commander until his death on 11 February.

Death

Badrei was assassinated on 11 February 1979 on the Sultanabad barracks which was the army headquarters in Tehran. He was leading the troops of the Imperial Ground Forces loyal to the Shah which were fighting against armed civilians who were the supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini when he was murdered. Scheherezade Faramarzi argued in 2019 that the murderer of Badrei was a teenager who was not aware of his identity. Upon his assassination the Imperial army was easily disintegrated by the Islamic government.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Badrei, Abdol Ali 20th-century Iranian people 1921 births 1979 deaths Assassinated Iranian people Assassinated military personnel Imperial Iranian Army lieutenant generals People from Kermanshah People of the Iranian Revolution