Kioumars Heydari

Amir
Kioumars Heydari
کیومرث حیدری
Heydari in 2025
Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 August 2026
PresidentMasoud Pezeshkian
Supreme LeaderMojtaba Khamenei
Preceded byMohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani
Deputy Commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 November 2025
PresidentMasoud Pezeshkian
Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei
Mojtaba Khamenei
Preceded byHossein Hassani Sa'di
Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Forces
In office
19 November 2016 – 22 November 2025
PresidentHassan Rouhani
Ebrahim Raisi
Mohammad Mokhber (acting)
Masoud Pezeshkian
Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei
Preceded byAhmad Reza Pourdastan
Succeeded byAli Jahanshahi
Deputy Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Forces
In office
2008–2016
PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad
Hassan Rouhani
Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei
Preceded byAhmad Reza Pourdastan
Succeeded byNozhar Nemati
Coordinating Deputy of the Iranian Army Ground Forces
In office
2005–2008
PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad
Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei
Preceded byMohammad Ali Armanfar
Succeeded byMohammad Hassan Bagheri
Personal details
Born1964 (age 61–62)
Sahneh, Kermanshah province, Pahlavi Iran
Awards
 Order of Fath (1st class)
Military service
AllegianceIran Iran
Branch/serviceBasij
Ground Force
Years of service
1982–present
Rank Brigadier General
Unit81st Armored Division of Kermanshah
CommandsOperations Deputy of the Iranian Army Ground Forces (2005)
South-West Regional Headquarters (1998–2005)
Battles/wars

Kioumars Heydari (Persian: کیومرث حیدری; born 1964) is an Iranian Brigadier general who is currently serving as the deputy commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces since 2026 and the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters since 2025.[1] He was Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ground Forces.[2]

Biography

Kioumars Heydari was born in 1964 in the city of Sahneh, Kermanshah, and completed his primary and secondary education in Kermanshah. Before joining the Army, he began his military activities in 1982 during the Iran–Iraq War as a volunteer force in the Basij. Heydari joined the Army Ground Forces in 1984, starting his official career in the infantry branch of the 81st Armored Division of Kermanshah. Between 1984 and 1998, he gained experience commanding platoons, companies, and battalions within this unit.

Heydari was appointed commander of the South West Headquarters of the Ground Forces (NEZAJA) in 1998 and served in this position until 2005. He received the rank of Brigadier General in 2005. He briefly held the position of operations deputy for the Army Ground Forces in 2005, and served as the coordinating deputy of the Army Ground Forces (Chief of Staff of NEZAJA) from 2005 to 2008. Heydari was appointed deputy commander of the Army Ground Forces in 2008 and remained in this role until November 2016.

Heydari was appointed as the Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ground Forces in 19 November 2016 serving in this position until 22 November 2025.

In 2022, Heydari was added to the sanctions list of the OFAC and the European Union, alongside other senior figures in the Iranian army. In 2023, he was also placed on the UK sanctions list. The sanctions against him and other senior figures stemmed mainly from violations of human rights and the repression of Iranian citizens in anti-regime protests of 2018-2019.

On 13 June 2025, during the Twelve-Day War, Israel reportedly carried out an assassination attempt against Heydari, which he survived. In November 2025, he was appointed deputy commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.[3]

In August 2026, he was appointed by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei as deputy commander of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Treasury Sanctions Iran's Morality Police and Senior Security Officials for Violence Against Protesters and the Death of Mahsa Amini". United States Department of the Treasury. 22 September 2022. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  2. ↑ انتصاب جانشین فرمانده کل ارتش و فرمانده نیروی زمینی ارتش
  3. ↑ "Iran appoints ex-army ground forces chief as deputy of war room". Iran International. 25 Nov 2025.
  4. ↑ "Khamenei fills six top military posts as key intelligence gaps persist". Iran International. 2026-08-10. Retrieved 2026-08-10.


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