Hossein Dehghan

Sardar
Hossein Dehghan
حسین دهقان
Dehghan in 2021
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
19 March 2026
PresidentMasoud Pezeshkian
Preceded byAli Larijani
Head of the Mostazafan Foundation
Incumbent
Assumed office
29 October 2023
Appointed byAli Khamenei
Preceded byParviz Fattah
Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics
In office
15 August 2013 – 20 August 2017
PresidentHassan Rouhani
DeputyAmir Hatami
Preceded byAhmad Vahidi
Succeeded byAmir Hatami
Vice President of Iran
Head of Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs
In office
8 May 2004 – 17 July 2009
PresidentMohammad Khatami
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byMasoud Zaribafan
Personal details
BornHossein Dehghani Poudeh
(1957-03-02) 2 March 1957
Pudeh, Isfahan province, Imperial State of Iran
PartyModeration and Development Party
Alma materUniversity of Tehran
Awards Order of Courage (1st class)
Military service
AllegianceIran
Branch/serviceIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Years of service1979–2004; 2013–2017
RankBrigadier general
CommandsAir Force
Battles/warsIran–Iraq War
1982 Lebanon War
South Lebanon conflict

Hossein Dehghani Poudeh (Persian: حسین دهقانی پوده; born 2 March 1957), commonly known as Hossein Dehghan, is an Iranian politician and former military officer. He currently serves as the head of the Mostazafan Foundation since 2023. Following the assassination of Ali Larijani, he was appointed by the Iranian government as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council since March 19, 2026.[1][2] During the Islamic revolution he took part in the occupation of the US embassy in Tehran. As commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps forces in Tehran, he oversaw the execution of opponents of the Islamic Republic. He commanded the IRGC forces in Lebanon and was among the orchestrators of the 1983 bombing of the American embassy in Beirut.[3]

He was former minister of defense of Iran that was designated for the position by President Hassan Rouhani on 4 August 2013 and confirmed by the parliament on 15 August.[4] As defense minister he signed a counterterrorism agreement with China.[5] He left the office on 20 August 2017.

Early life and education

Dehghan was born in a village near Shahreza, called Pudeh, Dehaqan County, Isfahan province, in 1957.[4][6][7] He received a PhD in management from the University of Tehran.[8][9]

Career and activities

Iranian Revolution Guards Corps

Dehghan served as a commander in the Iranian Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and in its air force.[10][11] During the Islamic revolution, Dehghan took part in the occupation of the US embassy in Tehran.[12] He left his hometown for Tehran and joined the IRGC shortly after the Iranian revolution in 1979.[6][13][14] As commander of the IRGC in Tehran he took part and oversaw the suppression and excecution of opponents to the newly formed Islamic Republic.[12] His posts at the IRGC include commander of IRGC of Tehran (1980–1982), Isfahan, and Syria and Lebanon (1982–1983),[6] and general manager of the IRGC's Cooperatives Foundation (1996).[15][16] He was the commander of the IRGC's forces in Lebanon during the 1983 bombing of the American embassy in Beirut, 241 Americans were killed.[3].[12][17][13] During his time in Lebanon, he appointed Hezbollah commander Hassan Laqis as his bureau chief. According to Shapira, a scholar who specializes in Hezbollah, Dehghan and Laqis took part in the planning and carrying out of the attack on the US embassy.[17][13]

During the Iran-Iraq war, he was among the leading and decision-making commanders of the IRGC along with Mohsen Rezaee, Rahim Safavi and Ali Shamkhani.[18] In Syria and Lebanon he was the commander of the training corps of the IRGC.[6] He was named the IRGC's air force deputy commander in 1986 and became its commander in April 1990.[19] His tenure lasted until 1992. He was replaced by Mohammad Hossein Jalali in the post.[19] Dehghani was named deputy chief of the IRGC Joint Staff in 1992.[15] He later was promoted to the rank of brigadier general.[15]

Political career and other activities

Next he served as deputy to the then defense minister, Ali Shamkhani, during the presidency of Mohammad Khatami from 1997 to 2003.[15][20][21] In 2003, he held the post of acting defense minister.[22] He was made Vice President of Iran and head of the martyrs foundation, "Bonyad Shahid", in 2005 and served as its president until July 2009.[23][15][16][24] In addition, he served as an advisor to the former President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad.[16][25] From 2009 to 2010 he was the deputy to Ali Shamkhani in the Armed Forces Strategic Studies Center.[15] Then he was appointed secretary of the Expediency Council's political, defense and security committee in 2010.[10] He also served as an advisor to Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani and Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.[15] However, Dehghani distanced himself from Ahmedinejad in 2012 and joined Moderation and Development Party led by Hassan Rouhani.[15]

He was nominated to head the defense ministry on 4 August 2013.[26] He was approved by the Majlis and replaced Ahmad Vahidi in the post. Dehghani received 269 votes in favor and 10 votes against.[27] Former Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi was named as Dehghani's advisor on 22 August.[28]

In 2016, Dehghan advanced and signed a counterterrorism agreement with China.[12][5] That same year, he negotiated an arms deal with Russia[29] and refused to respond when parliament questioned about details on Iran's military cooperation as Russia conducted fly missions over Syria from Iran.[30] This move was met with opposition by Larijani who accused Dehghan of "disrespecting parliament".[30] Later, he announced to cut military cooperation with Russia.[30]

On 1 August 2017, Dehghan announced that he would leave the defense ministry after the end of the first Rouhani government. He served as an advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.[31] After the assassination of Qasem Soleimani and before Operation Martyr Soleimani, Ali Khamenei, along with Dehghan, had made preparations to strike US forces back as revenge.[32] In a CNN interview, Dehghan expressed that the "only thing that can end this period of war is for the Americans to receive a blow that is equal to the blow they have inflicted" while ensuring to target US military bases.[33][32]

He announced that he was running in the 2021 Iranian presidential election.[34] On March 19, 2026, he was appointed as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, succeeding Larijani.[1][2]

Sanctions

In November 2019, Dehghan was among many Iranian officials placed under the sanctions list by the United States Department of State due to his involvement as an IRGC commander in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings which alleged Hezbollah militants killed 241 American soldiers.[35]

Political views

US and Europe

In an interview with The Guardian as an Iranian presidential candidate in 2021, Dehghan accused the US of being untrustworthy, claiming that the policies of the Biden and Trump administration are similar by "not lifting the oppressive sanctions against Iranian people and "continuing to block Iran oil revenue in foreign banks while we need the money to fight against the coronavirus pandemic." He further added that all of these are a continuation of Trumpism.[36] He also dismissed Europe's role as a mediator between Iran and the US stating that it had "no independent stance from America".[36]

References

  1. ^ a b "Iran names former defense minister Dehghan as top security official". Iran International. 19 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b Ragab, Ali (19 March 2026). "Tehran appoints Hussein Dehghan as Iran's National Security Secretary following the assassination of Ali Larijani". Voice Of Emirates. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  3. ^ a b "Treasury Designates Supreme Leader of Iran's Inner Circle Responsible for Advancing Regime's Domestic and Foreign Oppression". U.S Department of the Treasury.
  4. ^ a b Biography of Hossein Dehghani Archived 26 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Iranian government official website
  5. ^ a b Gady, Franz-Stefan (15 November 2016). "Iran, China Sign Military Cooperation Agreement". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d Shapira, Shimon (11 August 2013). "Iran's New Defense Minister: Behind the 1983 Attack on the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks in Beirut". Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  7. ^ "Who is Hossein Dehghani, Hassan Rouhani's choice for defense minister". NCRI. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  8. ^ "President Hassan Rouhani's pragmatic conservative, security-intelligence-oriented Cabinet nominations". Iran Politik. 6 August 2013. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  9. ^ "Key figures in Iran's new government". Bloomberg. 15 August 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  10. ^ a b "Former IRGCAF commander: I'm Rouhani's choice for DM". Iran Daily Brief. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 18 August 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  11. ^ Karimi, Nasser (4 August 2013). "Hasan Rouhani, Iran's new president, calls for 'lessening of hostilities'". MSNBC. Tehran. Associated Press. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  12. ^ a b c d Khoshnood, Dr Ardavan (13 December 2020). "Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan—Iran's Next President?". Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  13. ^ a b c Brodsky, Jason (15 October 2020). "Hossein Dehghan Could Win Iran's Presidency For The Revolutionary Guards". The National Interest. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  14. ^ "Presidential Elections in Iran: Procedures, Candidates, and the Persistent Clout of Key Institutions". AGSI. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h Will Fulton (7 August 2013). "Rouhani's Cautious Pick For Defense Minister". Al Monitor. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  16. ^ a b c Frederic Wehrey; Jerrold D Green; Brian Nichiporuk; Alireza Nader; Lydia Hansell (31 December 2008). The Rise of the Pasdaran: Assessing the Domestic Roles of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (PDF). Rand Corporation. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-8330-4680-2. Archived from the original on 6 August 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  17. ^ a b "US policy hostage to the hostage-takers". FDD. 19 January 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  18. ^ "The Islamic Republic's 13 generals". Iran Briefing. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  19. ^ a b Cordesman, Anthony H. (September 1994). "Iran's Military Forces: 1988-1993" (PDF). Center for Strategic and International Studies. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  20. ^ "Russian Deputy Defense Minister arrives in Iran". Albawaba. 24 June 2002. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  21. ^ "Rouhani's proposed cabinet line-up". Iran Daily. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  22. ^ "Iran Military to Upgrade Its Shahab-3 Missiles". Arab News. Tehran. Reuters. 16 December 2003. Retrieved 5 August 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  23. ^ Biography of Hossein Dehghan Hamshahri
  24. ^ Appointment of Hossein Dehghan as Vice President of Iran by Mohammad Khatami Hamshahri
  25. ^ Frederic Wehrey; Jerrold D. Green; Brian Nichiporuk; Alireza Nader; Lydia Hansell; Rasool Nafisi; S. R. Bohandy (2009). "The Rise of the Pasdaran" (PDF). RAND Corporation. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  26. ^ Soraya Lennie (4 August 2013). "Iran's revival of the moderates". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  27. ^ "Iranian Parliament Gives Vote of Confidence to Majority of Rouhani's Proposed Ministers". Fars News. 15 August 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  28. ^ "Ex-Iranian Oil Minister Qasemi appointed advisor to Defense Minister". ILNA. 22 August 2013. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  29. ^ Gady, Franz-Stefan (1 December 2026). "Iran, Russia Inching Closer to Su-30 Fighter Jet Deal". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  30. ^ a b c von Hein, Shabnam (23 August 2016). "Russia barred from Iranian military base". DW News. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  31. ^ Dehghanpisheh, Babak (5 February 2018). Hepinstall, Sonya (ed.). "Islamic State threatens Iran from "Tora Bora" borderlands". Reuters. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2018. Hossein Dehghan, a former defence minister and now an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in a recent interview with the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
  32. ^ a b Brumberg, Daniel (7 January 2020). "Soleimani's Assassination Backfires Big Time". Arab Center Washington DC. Retrieved 20 March 2026. Speaking to CNN, Khamenei's military advisor Dehghan promised that the response would be of a military nature and against US 'military sites'.
  33. ^ "CNN.com - Transcripts". transcripts.cnn.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  34. ^ "Hossein Dehghan and other military vets vie for Iran's presidency". 7 October 2020.
  35. ^ "Treasury Designates Supreme Leader of Iran's Inner Circle Responsible for Advancing Regime's Domestic and Foreign Oppression".
  36. ^ a b Wintour, Patrick (11 February 2021). "Biden policies the same as Trump's, says Iran's only presidential candidate". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
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