Javad Fakouri (; 3 January 1936 – 29 September 1981) was an Iranian prominent military figure who served as the 4th

defence minister A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

in September 1980 to August 1981.

Career

Fakoori was a commander of the

Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF; ) is the air force, aviation branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The present air force was created when the Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed in 1979 following the Iranian Revoluti ...

at the rank of colonel. He entered the Iranian Air Force in 1958 as a fighter pilot of the F-100. He later qualified on the F-4 fighter-bomber in 1967. He commanded a flight, squadron, wing and group of F-4 aircraft during the Pahlavi regime. In 1978, he was promoted to colonel and stationed in

Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...

as a staff officer. Despite the fact that one of his cousins was a leading member of the MEK and had sought asylum in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

in 1980, he had the confidence of

Khomeini Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 or 24 September 19023 June 1989) was an Iranian revolutionary, politician, political theorist, and religious leader. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the main leader of the Iranian ...

and Rafsanjani. With the consent of Khomeini, then-president Abolhassan Banisadr appointed him to this post in June 1980. Fakoori was the commander of the Iranian Air Force during the

Iran–Iraq War The Iran–Iraq War, also known as the First Gulf War, was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. Active hostilities began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for nearly eight years, unti ...

. He also served as the Iranian

from spring 1981 to September 1981. Fakoori replaced Mostafa Chamran as defence minister when the latter died in a plane crash accident during the Iran–Iraq war.

Mohammad Salimi Mohammad Salimi (; 1937– 2016) was an Iranian military who served as the 6th Minister of Defense in November 1981 to August 1984 and the commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army in 2000 to 2005. Biography Salimi was born in Mashhad in 19 ...

replaced Fakoori as defence minister in 1981.

Death

Fakoori and other senior military officials, including

Valiollah Fallahi Valiollah Fallahi () (1931 – 29 September 1981) was an Iranian military officer and prominent figure during the Iran–Iraq War. Career Fallahi served as commander ground forces. Until June 1980 he was the deputy commander of joint staff. He was ...

and

Mousa Namjoo Mousa Namjoo (; 17 December 1938 – 29 September 1981) was an Iranian military officer who served as the minister of defence from August to September 1981. Biography Namjoo was born in Bandar-e Anzali on 17 December 1938. He graduated from Off ...

, were killed in a crash near Tehran on 29 September 1981.

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 or 24 September 19023 June 1989) was an Iranian revolutionary, politician, political theorist, and religious leader. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the main leader of the Iranian ...

made a speech following the incident in which he implied the Mujahedeen Khalq as the perpetrator without clearly condemning the leftist group. Fakoori was posthumously promoted to the

rank A rank is a position in a hierarchy. It can be formally recognized—for example, cardinal, chief executive officer, general, professor—or unofficial. People Formal ranks * Academic rank * Corporate title * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy ...

of major general.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fakouri, Javad 20th-century Iranian politicians 1936 births 1981 deaths Iranian military aviators Islamic Republic of Iran Army colonels Islamic Republic of Iran Army personnel of the Iran–Iraq War Commanders of Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force People from Tabriz Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Iran Burials at Behesht-e Zahra Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1981