Who Was Hossein Salami? The Iranian IRGC Chief was killed in an Israeli airstrike
Tehran, June 13, 2025 – Major General Hossein Salami, the Commander-in-Chief of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was confirmed dead following a devastating Israeli airstrike on Tehran in the early hours of Friday. The operation, codenamed “Operation Rising Lion,” targeted Iran’s top nuclear and military facilities in what analysts are calling the most direct and dangerous escalation in the history of the Iran-Israel conflict.
Salami, 65, was regarded as one of the most powerful and controversial military figures in modern Iran. His death, along with other high-ranking nuclear and military officials, has plunged the region into a volatile state, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowing “severe retaliation,” raising the specter of open conflict across the Middle East.
From Frontline Fighter to Strategic Commander
Born in 1960 in Golpayegan, Isfahan province, Salami joined the IRGC at the outset of the Iran-Iraq War in 1980. He rose through the ranks by leading prominent divisions such as the Karbala and 14th Imam Hossein units. Following the war, he pursued advanced military education, earning a master’s degree in defense management.
From 1997 to 2005, he served as the IRGC’s Operations Commander. In 2019, Ayatollah Khamenei appointed him as Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, placing him at the core of Iran’s military and political power.
Under his leadership, Iran made major strides in ballistic missile and drone capabilities. Notably, in 2024, Salami orchestrated Iran’s first-ever direct missile and drone strike on Israel.
Salami was a formidable figure both domestically and internationally.
Salami’s influence extended beyond Iran’s external military operations. He faced widespread criticism for threatening demonstrators during the 2022 nationwide protests following Mahsa Amini’s death. “Today is the last day of the riots. No one should take to the streets again,” he declared on state television—drawing condemnation from international human rights groups.
In 2020, under his command, the IRGC mistakenly shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, killing 176 people. Although he issued a rare public apology, the shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 drew global outrage.
Salami was sanctioned multiple times by the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union for his role in regional destabilization and human rights violations. In 2023, he faced legal action in France for issuing death threats against activists abroad.
A Legacy of Power and Controversy
In his final months, Salami was frequently seen inspecting underground missile facilities, walking over American and Israeli flags, and unveiling new advanced weaponry on Iranian television. He remained a vocal proponent of “resistance” against the West.
The IRGC, in a statement following his death, called him “one of the greatest warriors of the Islamic Revolution, who led on every front.” Security analysts worldwide have compared his assassination to the hypothetical killing of the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
While Iranian hardliners hail him as a revolutionary hero, global observers remember Hossein Salami as a hardline, polarizing figure—one whose legacy symbolized both power and provocation. His death now opens a new chapter of uncertainty in an already unstable region.