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3. Who Is Amir Hatami, Iran’s Newly Appointed Army Chief?

In a defining moment for Iran’s military and regional posture, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed Major General Amir Hatami as the new Commander of the Iranian Army (Artesh) in an official decree on Friday. The decision comes amid Israel's large-scale aerial operation against Iran, aimed at what it described as a decisive blow to Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure.  

The military operation, described as “Operation Rising Lion,” has eliminated three high-ranking Iranian military officials: Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Commander of the Revolutionary Guards Hossein Salami and Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters Gholam Ali Rashid.

In his decree, Ayatollah Khamenei praised Hatami’s “dedication, competence and experience,” urging him to adopt a “transformative and revolutionary approach.” The Supreme Leader called for intensified efforts to enhance combat readiness, ideological commitment and inter-branch cooperation across the Armed Forces.

Born in 1965 in Zanjan, Amir Hatami is a career officer in the Artesh who gained early battlefield experience through his participation in Operation Mersad, which was among the last major military operations of the Iran–Iraq War. Rising through the ranks, he held critical positions, including head of the Army’s international relations office and deputy in the Armed Forces General Staff.

In 2017, he became Minister of Defense, a notable appointment as the first Artesh-background officer to hold the role in over two decades.

Traditionally, since the 1980s, especially after the Iran–Iraq War, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGS) dominated defense and security posts, including the Ministry of Defense.

His tenure lasted until 2021 and was marked by his work on Iran’s defense industries and missile development.

His appointment is a strategic move by Khamenei, who has declared a full state of military alert and ordered retaliatory measures to be organized. At least two rounds of Iranian missiles have already reached Tel Aviv.