Yahya "Rahim" Safavi (, born 1952) is an

Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...

military commander who served as the chief commander of the

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khom ...

. 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 council.

Early life

Safavi was born in 1952 in the city of

Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

, to an Azerbaijani family.

Career

Safavi was one of the leaders of the

Iran–Iraq War The Iran–Iraq War, also known as the First Gulf War, was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. Active hostilities began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for nearly eight years, unti ...

. During the US-led invasion of Afghanistan, he played a key role in the uprising in Herat in November 2001, where American, Iranian and

Northern Alliance The Northern Alliance ( ''Da Šumāl E'tilāf'' or ''Ettehād Šumāl''), officially known as the United National Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan ( ''Jabha-ye Muttahid-e barāye Afğānistān''), was a military alliance of groups that op ...

troops supported a local uprising against the

Taliban , leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders , leader1_name = {{indented plainlist, * Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013) * Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016) * Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...

. He served as the deputy commander of

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khomeini as a military branch in May 1979 i ...

until 1997 when he was appointed its commander, replacing

Mohsen Rezaee Mohsen Rezaee Mirgha'ed (, born Sabzevar Rezaee Mirgha'ed (); born 1 September 1954) is an Iranian conservative politician affiliated with the Resistance Front of Islamic Iran and senior military officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ...

in 1997. He was replaced as commander of the IRGC by Mohammad Ali Jafari, former director of the Strategic Studies Center of the IRGC on 1 September 2007. Then he was appointed by the

Supreme Leader A supreme leader or supreme ruler typically refers to powerful figures with an unchallenged authority, such as autocrats, dictators to spiritual and revolutionary leaders. Historic examples are Adolf Hitler () of Nazi Germany, Francisco ...

Ali Khamenei Ali Hosseini Khamenei (; born 19 April 1939) is an Iranian cleric and politician who has served as the second supreme leader of Iran since 1989. He previously served as the third President of Iran, president from 1981 to 1989. Khamenei's tenure ...

as his special military advisor.

Political views

Safavi is a leading advocate of the so-called "

Axis of Resistance The Axis of Resistance is an informal coalition of Iranian-supported militant and political organizations across the Middle East. Formed by Iran, it unites actors committed to countering the influence of the United States and Israel in the regio ...

," which includes

Hezbollah Hezbollah ( ; , , ) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. I ...

Hamas The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (the Arabic acronym from ), is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islam, Sunni Islamism, Islamist political organisation with a military wing, the Qassam Brigades. It has Gaza Strip under Hama ...

, and Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. He argues 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. On Apr 7, 2024, Safavi opined that Hamas is an idea and an ideal that cannot be destroyed. During his speech at the 6th International Conference of Solidarity with Palestinian Youth, Safavi praised Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, describing it as a "glorious" operation.

Asset freeze

On 24 December 2006, Rahim Safavi was included on a list of Iranian individuals and organizations sanctioned by the

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1737 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1737 was unanimously passed by the United Nations Security Council on 23 December 2006. The resolution, sponsored by France, Germany and the United Kingdom, imposed sanctions against Iran for failing t ...

due to their alleged involvement in the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Awards and recognition

Fath grade 1 Fath grade 1 Fath grade 2

References