Iraj Masjedi, former Iranian ambassador to Iraq, was recently appointed as the new deputy coordinator of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, which is known for supporting and providing training to terrorist groups operating in the Middle East, like Hezbollah and Hamas.
The new position is considered a prominent position for Masjedi, who is now one of the main actors directly involved in Iran’s military and international political strategy in the Middle East. He previously held the position of senior advisor to the commander of the Quds Force.
According to information from independent media, his appointment to the position of deputy coordinator of the IRGC Quds Force was announced through the IRGC’s own Telegram channel, marking a new phase in his already extensive career in the Islamic regime.
Masjedi will assume a role that previously belonged, according to information, to Hadi Haji-Rahimi, killed in Damascus, Syria, in April, during an operation that was linked to Israel, but which has not yet been claimed by the country.
According to news reports, Masjedi’s selection for the role was not surprising considering his previous track record and experience. He is known for having a close relationship with officials and authorities from various governments, and is expected to coordinate the activities of paramilitary forces operating under Iranian financing in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, as well as coordinate activities related to the war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.
Masjedi’s career in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards is considered long and distinguished. He served for 35 years in the ayatollah-controlled force, during which he held various leadership positions, including being a senior advisor to Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force, which is the de facto foreign operations arm of the Revolutionary Guard, killed in 2020 in a US-led operation.
According to information from Iran, Masjedi has a vast academic background, with master’s degrees in History and Strategic Management from Iran’s Shahid Beheshti University. He also taught at several universities in the Islamic country.
Masjedi is described as a “political strategist and an expert on defense and national security issues.” He was Iran’s ambassador to Iraq until the year 2022. There is no exact information about his year of birth, but a record of his appointment to the post of ambassador to Iraq states that he was born in 1956, in the province of Khuzestan.
During his time as ambassador to Iraq, Masjedi was accused of being a secret agent for Iran’s Supreme Leader Aitollah Ali Khamenei in the country, as well as being a direct representative of the Quds Force there. Masjedi was also accused of collaborating with paramilitary forces to suppress popular uprisings in Iraq.
Masjedi’s role in Iraq is particularly notable. Information mentions that he has direct links with many leaders of the Popular Mobilization Forces, one of the main paramilitary groups operating in Iraqi territory.
Masjedi also played a crucial role as leader of guerrillas operating within Iraqi territory against Saddam Hussein’s forces during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. After the war, these guerrillas became the first Quds Force corps in Iraq , with Masjedi being its main commander, playing a decisive role in implementing the policies considered criminal by the Iranian regime in the country.
After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Masjedi continued to oversee Quds Force activities in the country, including leading attacks against US military personnel there. He also coordinated kidnappings and assassinations of Iraqi officials seeking to limit Iranian influence in Iraq.
In 2020, the US included Masjedi on its list of sanctioned individuals. In justification, the Americans cited that “during his decades of service, he [Masjedi]
supervised training and support programs for Iraqi militia groups and directed or supported attacks that resulted in the death and injury of American forces.”
“The Iranian regime threatens Iraq’s security and sovereignty by appointing IRGC-QF officials as ambassadors to the region to advance its destabilizing agenda,” the statement said. At this time, Masjedi was still ambassador to Iraq.
In addition to Iraq, Masjedi also played a prominent role in the Syrian civil war, sending Iraqi paramilitary forces to operate in the country. In April 2019, the Popular Mobilization Forces held a meeting called “Thank You Iran” in which they expressed appreciation for the actions of the Ayatollah regime in Iraq. Masjedi participated in this meeting along with some IRGC Quds Force commanders.
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