In brief
Iran has officially appointed Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi as the new leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) following the death of Gen. Hossein Salami in an Israeli airstrike. Vahidi's controversial past includes allegations of involvement in the 1994 Buenos Aires bombing, leading to international sanctions.
June 15, 2025, 10:07 a.m. ET – Iran has appointed Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi as the new commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), succeeding Gen. Hossein Salami, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike this past Friday. This marks a significant shift in leadership for a key institution within Iran tasked with protecting the Islamic regime.General Vahidi is widely recognized beyond Iran for being linked to the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which resulted in 85 fatalities and injured hundreds of others. As a consequence of this connection, Argentinian prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for him and four other Iranian officials on charges encompassing "conceiving, planning, financing and executing" this attack. In 2007, Interpol placed a Red Notice in effect to alert law enforcement globally regarding the outstanding national arrest warrant against Vahidi.Born in 1958 in Shiraz, Iran, Vahidi studied electronic engineering at Shiraz University during the Iranian revolution in 1979, at which point he joined the IRGC and local revolutionary bodies. Following this endeavor, he earned a Ph.D. in strategic studies. His notable military career saw him occupy high-ranking security positions throughout the Iran-Iraq war that commenced in 1980. He led the IRGC’s Quds Force, showcased for its intelligence operations outside Iranian borders, from 1988 to 1998.Vahidi transitioned into political roles in 2005 as deputy defense minister, becoming defense minister in 2009 and retaining that position until 2013. He served as Iran's interior minister until August of the previous year. However, his leadership has not been without controversy; the United States, European Union, Canada, and Britain have all imposed sanctions on Vahidi due to alleged human rights abuses throughout his political career.Matthew Mpoke Bigg, a reporter based in London for The Times, continues to follow the dynamic developments surrounding Iran's military and political landscape.
