Yahya Safavi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | یحیی رحیمصفوی |
| Born | 1952 (age 73–74) |
| Allegiance | Islamic Republic of Iran |
| Branch | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps |
| Service years | 1979–present |
| Rank | Major general |
| Commands | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards | full list |
Yahya "Rahim"Safavi (Persian:یحیی «رحیم» صفوی, born 1952) is anIranian military commander who served as the chief commander of theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.[1][2] Currently, Safavi is serving as a senior military advisor to the leader of the Islamic revolution. Additionally, he has assumed the role of head of Defense and Security Commission within the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations.[3]
Safavi was born in 1952 in the city ofEsfahan,Iran,[1][2] to aPersian family.[4]
Safavi was one of the leaders of theIran–Iraq War.[5] During theUS-led invasion of Afghanistan, he played a key role in theuprising in Herat in November 2001, where American, Iranian andNorthern Alliance troops supported a local uprising against theTaliban.
He served as the deputy commander ofIslamic Revolutionary Guards Corps until 1997 when he was appointed its commander, replacingMohsen Rezaee in 1997.[6]
He was replaced as commander of the IRGC byMohammad Ali Jafari, former director of the Strategic Studies Center of the IRGC on 1 September 2007.[7] Then he was appointed by theSupreme Leader,Ali Khamenei as his special military advisor.[8]
Safavi is a leading advocate of the so-called "Axis of Resistance", which includesHezbollah,Hamas, and Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.[9] He argued that this network has already dealt strategic blows to Israel and has the potential to reshape the region's geopolitical future. According to Safavi, Israel has been "defeated by the Resistance," and he emphasizes that the liberation of Palestine will only be achieved through persistent armed struggle.[10][11]
On Apr 7, 2024, Safavi opined that Hamas is an idea and an ideal that cannot be destroyed.[12] During his speech at the 6th International Conference of Solidarity with Palestinian Youth, Safavi praised Hamas’sOctober 7 attack on Israel, describing it as a "glorious" operation.[13][14]
On 24 December 2006, Rahim Safavi was included on a list of Iranian individuals and organizations sanctioned by theUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 1737 due to their alleged involvement in the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.[15]
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| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New title Military branch created | Commander ofGround Forces of the IRGC 1985 – 24 September 1989 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Second-in-Command of theIRGC 24 September 1989 – 10 September 1997 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander-in-chief of theIRGC 10 September 1997 – 1 September 2007 | Succeeded by |
| Commander-in-Chief |
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| Chief ofJoint Staff | ||
| Ground Force | ||
| Aerospace Force | ||
| Navy | ||
| Quds Force | ||
| Mobilization Force | ||
| Intelligence | ||
| Intelligence Protection |
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| Supreme Leader Representative | ||
| Ministers |
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| International | |
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| National | |
