This is a list of commanders of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the Iran–Iraq War (1980–88).

Leaders

; Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces * Abolhassan Banisadr (''Start of War'' – 10 June 1981) *

Ruhollah Khomeini Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Khomeini, Imam Khomeini ( , ; ; 17 May 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian political and religious leader who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989. He was the founder of ...

(10 June 1981 – ''End of War'') ** Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, acted as the ''de facto'' commander-in-chief since mid-1980s and was later officially appointed as the deputy commander-in-chief on 2 June 1988 ***

Hassan Rouhani Hassan Rouhani ( fa, حسن روحانی, Standard Persian pronunciation: ; born Hassan Fereydoun ( fa, حسن فریدون, links=no); 12 November 1948) is an Iranian politician who served as the seventh president of Iran from 2013 to 2021. ...

, served as deputy to second-in-command since 1988

Military commanders

Strategic level

Islamic Republic of Iran Army

; Chief-of-Staff * Brig. Gen. Valiollah Fallahi (''Start of War'' – 29 September 1981) * Brig. Gen.

Qasem-Ali Zahirnejad , honorific_prefix= Timsar , image = Qasem-Ali Zahirnejad.jpg , caption = Qasem-Ali Zahirnejad , birth_date = 1924 , death_date = , placeofburial_label = , placeofburial = , birth_place = Ardabil, Iran , death_place ...

(1 October 1981 – 25 October 1984) * Col. Esmaeil Sohrabi (25 October 1984 – 1988) * Brig. Gen. Ali Shahbazi (1988 – ''End of War'') ;

Ground Force ''Ground Force'' was a British garden makeover television series originally broadcast by the BBC between 1997 and 2005. The series was originally hosted by Alan Titchmarsh, Charlie Dimmock and Tommy Walsh. Production The series was created b ...

* Brig. Gen.

(''Start of War'' – 1 October 1981) * Col.

Ali Sayyad Shirazi Ali Sayyad Shirazi ( fa, علی صیاد شیرازی, June 1944 – 10 April 1999) was an Iranian regular military (''Artesh'') officer. He served as commander of the Ground Force during Iran–Iraq War. He was assassinated by Mojahedin-e Khal ...

(1 October 1981 – Spring 1986) * Col. Hossein Hassani-Sadi (Spring 1986 – ''End of War'') ; Air Force * Col.

Javad Fakoori Javad Fakoori ( fa, جواد فکوری, 3 January 1936 – 29 September 1981) was a prominent military figure who served as the 4th defence minister of Iran in September 1980 to August 1981. Career Fakoori was a commander of the Islamic Republi ...

(''Start of War'' – 29 September 1981) * Col. Mohammad-Hossein Moinpour (2 October 1981 – 25 November 1983) * Col. Houshang Seddigh (25 November 1983 – 1986) * Col. Mansour Sattari (1986 – ''End of War'') ; Navy * Cpt. Bahram Afzali (''Start of War'' – 30 April 1983) * Cpt. Esfandiar Hosseini (30 April 1983 – 25 June 1985) * Cpt. Mohammad-Hossein Malekzadegan (25 June 1985 – ''End of War'')

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

;Commander-in-Chief * Morteza Rezaee (''Start of War'' –) *

Mohsen Rezaei Mohsen Rezaee ( fa, محسن رضایی, born Sabzevar Rezaee Mirgha'ed ( fa, سبزوار رضایی میرقائد) on 1 September 1954) is an Iranian Iranian Principlists, conservative politician affiliated with the Resistance Front of Islamic ...

(11 September 1981 – ''End of War'') ;

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military un ...

Alireza Afshar Alireza Afshar ( fa, علیرضا افشار) is an Iranian military officer. He served as the political deputy to the Minister of Interior, being appointed in August 2007. In this capacity, he served as head of Country's Election Headquarters dur ...

(November 1984 – ) * Mohammad Forouzandeh (– ''End of War'') ;

Basij The Basij ( fa, بسيج, lit. "The Mobilization"), Niru-ye Moghāvemat-e Basij ( fa, نیروی مقاومت بسیج, "Resistance Mobilization Force"), full name Sâzmân-e Basij-e Mostaz'afin ( fa, سازمان بسیج مستضعفین, "The ...

Amir Majd Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or ceremo ...

(''Start of War'' – December 1981) * Ahmad Salek (December 1981 –) *

Mohammad-Ali Rahmani Mohammad-Ali Rahmani ( fa, محمدعلی رحمانی) is an Iranian Shi'a cleric and politician. He was appointed as head of Basij on 16 February 1984 by Mohsen Rezaei and served in the capacity until January 1990. Rahmani is a member of Associ ...

(16 February 1984 – ''End of War'') ;

* Yahya Rahim Safavi (1985–) * Ali Shamkhani (May 1986 –) ; Air Force * Akbar Rafan (1985 – ''End of War'') ; Navy * Hossein Alaei (1985 – ''End of War'')

Operational level

Islamic Republic of Iran Army

;Division commanders * Col.

Hassan Abshenasan Hassan Abshenasan ( fa, حسن آبشناسان) was one of the commanders of the Ground Forces of Islamic Republic of Iran Army who was killed in the Iran–Iraq war. Biography Hassan Abshenasan was born in a religious family on 1936 in Nazi Ab ...

* Col.

Masoud Monfared Niyaki Major General Masoud Monfared Niyaki or Monfared Niaki (1929–1985) ( fa, مسعود منفرد نیاکی) was a commander in Islamic Republic of Iran Army. He studied in the Officers' School, specializing in armored warfare. Niyaki got the rank ...

* Col.

Hasan Aghareb Parast Hasan Aghareb Parast ( fa, حسن اقارب پرست) (1946 – 1984) was an Iranian commander in the Ground Forces of Islamic Republic of Iran Army. He was deputy commander of the 92 armored division and killed in the Iran–Iraq War. Biograp ...

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

;Division commanders *

Hossein Kharrazi Hossein Kharrazi ( fa, حسین خرازی) (1957 – 27 February 1987) was the commander of IRGC's 14th Imam Hussein Division during Iran–Iraq War. He supported Islamic revolution and after its victory, served and helped safeguarding it. He w ...

* Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf * Ahmad Kazemi *

Mohammad Boroujerdi Mohammad Boroujerdi ( fa, محمد بروجردی, 1955 – 1983/05/22) was an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander during the Iran–Iraq War. He played key roles in regaining control over the territories of Kurdistan by Iranian fo ...

Ebrahim Hemmat Mohammad Ebrahim Hemmat ( fa, محمدابراهیم همت, April 2, 1955 in Shahreza, Isfahan Province – March 7, 1984 in Majnoon Island, Iraq) was a teacher and an Iranian military leader. He was one of the highest ranking officers of the Isl ...

* Qassem Soleimani *

Mehdi Bakeri Mehdi Bakeri ( fa, مهدی باکری‎; 1954 – 16 March 1985) was an Iranian war hero in the Iran–Iraq War. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tabriz. During the Iranian revolution of 1979 he joined the protes ...

* Ahmad Motevaselian * Mehdi Zeinoddin * Mahmoud Kaveh *

Ali Hashemi (Commander) Ali Hashemi (Persian/Arabic: علی هاشمی), commonly known as "Shahid Ali Hashemi" is among the Iranian commanders during Iran–Iraq War. He was born in 1961 in Ahwaz. This Iranian Arab commander who got married in 1984 (1363 S.H.) and had a ...

* Sabz Ali Khodadad (

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

)

Ministers

; Minister of Defence * Mostafa Chamran (''Start of War'' – 29 October 1980) * Col.

(–September 1980) * Col.

Mousa Namjoo Mousa Namjoo (, 17 December 1938 – 29 September 1981) was an Iranian military who served as the minister of defence and armed forces logistics in August to September 1981. Biography Namjoo was born in Bandar-e Anzali on 17 December 1938. He g ...

(17–29 September 1981) * Col. Mohammad Salimi (October 1981 – October 1985) * Col.

Mohammad Hossein Jalali Mohammad Hossein Jalali ( fa, محمدحسین جلالی) is an Iranian military official who served as minister of defense. Career Jalali was appointed minister of defense in October 1985 to the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mou ...

(October 1985 – ''End of War'') ; Minister of Revolutionary Guards *