Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed Brig.-Gen. Ahmad Vahidi to the role of deputy commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday, Iran’s official state media IRNA reported.
Vahidi most recently served as deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, stepping down to assume his new role.
Previously, he served as head of the IRGC’s Quds Force from 1988 until 1998, during which time the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) building in Buenos Aires was bombed. Vahidi is wanted by Argentina for his alleged role in the attack, and INTERPOL issued a Red Notice in 2007 at Argentina’s request.
He also served as defense minister from 2009 until 2013 and interior minister from 2021 until 2024, during which time he was tied to the Islamic Republic regime’s intense clampdown on protesters following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
This led the Biden administration to impose sanctions on him.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry's Persian-language social media criticized the decision, commenting that the regime "is getting worse day by day."
New IRGC deputy chief appointment comes amid nationwide Iran riots, unrest
The announcement comes amid protests and riots throughout Iran, highlighting widespread dissatisfaction with the regime, particularly the country’s economic situation.
Further, senior command within both the IRGC and Iranian Armed Forces saw a major reshuffle during and after the Israel-Iran war in June, due to Israeli airstrikes killing several senior commanders.