Mahmoud Baharmast (1899–1977) was an Iranian major general who served as the chief of staff of the Imperial Army in Iran in the period 1952–1953.

Early life and education

Baharmast was born in 1899 in Tehran. He graduated from Dar al-Fonun, St. Louis School, Tehran, and Mushir al-Dawla School. He joined the Iranian army. In 1923 he was sent to Europe by the Ministry of War to continue his studies and graduated from the Fontainebleau Military Academy, France, specializing in

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

Career and activities

Following his return to Iran Baharmast worked at different units of the army and in 1942 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 ...

. Then he was first appointed head of the artillery unit of the army and then head of the general administration. His next post was the commander of the military academy and of the war academy. Then he was promoted to the rank of

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 a ...

. Baharmast was appointed chief of staff of the Iranian Army in October 1952 and succeeded Morteza Yazdanpanah in the post. Baharmast's term ended in March 1953, and he was replaced by

Taghi Riahi Taghi Riahi ( fa, تقی ریاحی) (1911–1989) was an Iranian senior military officer in the Iranian Imperial Army. Biography Riahi was born in Chaleshtar in 1911. He graduated from the Academy of Arts in Tehran. Then he attended the offic ...

in the post. While in office

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 ...

Mohammad Mosaddegh Mohammad Mosaddegh ( fa, محمد مصدق, ; 16 June 1882 – 5 March 1967) was an Iranian politician, author, and lawyer who served as the 35th Prime Minister of Iran from 1951 to 1953, after appointment by the 16th Majlis. He was a member of ...

accused military officers, including Baharmast, of not listening to his orders but to the orders of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Before the

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

in 1953 US officials approached Baharmast and other military officers who had pro-American and anti-Communist stance to eliminate the pro-Soviet and pro-Mosaddegh tendencies in the Iranian army.

Later years and death

After Mohammad Mosaddegh was sent to exile Baharmast was invited to continue his military career, but he did not accept the offer. He dealt with studies on the etymology of the Persian words. In 1977 he died in Tehran while being blind in both eyes.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Baharmast, Mahmoud People of Pahlavi Iran 1899 births 1977 deaths Imperial Iranian Army major generals People from Tehran Iranian anti-communists Blind people from Iran