Ali Abdollahi

Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi (Persian: علی عبداللهی علی‌آبادی; born 1959) is an Iranian senior military officer and former politician who is currently chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.^[1] He served as governor and vice minister during presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.^[2]

PresidentMasoud Pezeshkian

DeputyKioumars Heydari

Supreme LeaderMojtaba Khamenei

Preceded byAbdolrahim Mousavi

Quick facts Sardar, 4th Chief of the General Staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces ...

Sardar Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi
علی عبداللهی علی‌آبادی
Aliabadi in 2018
4th Chief of the General Staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 August 2026
President	Masoud Pezeshkian
Deputy	Kioumars Heydari
Supreme Leader	Mojtaba Khamenei
Preceded by	Abdolrahim Mousavi
Commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 June 2025
President	Masoud Pezeshkian
Supreme Leader	Ali Khamenei Mojtaba Khamenei
Preceded by	Ali Shadmani
Deputy for Coordination of the General Staff
In office 2016–2025
President	Hassan Rouhani Ebrahim Raisi Mohammad Mokhber (acting) Masoud Pezeshkian
Supreme Leader	Ali Khamenei
Deputy for Readiness, Logistics and Industrial Research of the General Staff
In office 2013–2016
President	Hassan Rouhani
Supreme Leader	Ali Khamenei
Vice Minister of Interior for Security
In office 14 October 2009 – 29 June 2014
President	Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Hassan Rouhani
Supreme Leader	Ali Khamenei
Preceded by	Abbas Mohtaj
Succeeded by	Hossein Zolfaghari
Governor of Semnan Province
In office 16 September 2007 – 14 October 2009
President	Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Supreme Leader	Ali Khamenei
Preceded by	Hamid Hajiabdolvahab
Succeeded by	Abbas Rahi
Governor of Gilan Province
In office 16 November 2005 – 8 September 2007
President	Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Supreme Leader	Ali Khamenei
Preceded by	Masoud Soltanifar
Succeeded by	Ruhollah Ghahremani
Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Police
In office 4 April – 9 July 2005 Acting
President	Mohammad Khatami
Supreme Leader	Ali Khamenei
Preceded by	Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf
Succeeded by	Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam
Personal details
Born	1959 (age 66–67) Aliabad, Rudbar, Pahlavi Iran
Military service
Allegiance	Iran
Branch/service	Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Police Command
Years of service	1979–present
Rank	Major General
Battles/wars	Iran–Iraq War Insurgency in Sistan and Balochistan Syrian civil war Iranian intervention in Syria War in Iraq (2013–2017) Iranian intervention in Iraq Iran–PJAK conflict Western Iran clashes 2024 Iran–Israel conflict Twelve-Day War 2026 Iran War

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Abdollahi is sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury.^[3][4]

Abdollahi participated in the 2022 Moscow conference on international security as deputy chief of the general staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic. In the conference, Aliabadi referred to the United States as “Big Satan” and said that American totalitarianism and unilaterism threatens global security. Abdollahi in the conference also said that Americans cause crisis, sanctions and wars.^[5]

In 2025, an X account claiming to be associated with the Mossad announced that Abdollahi is the new commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, after commanders Gholam Ali Rashid and Ali Shadmani were assassinated in the Twelve-Day War. The Mossad has not denied connection to the account.^[1] In August 2026, he was appointed chief of staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, with Kioumars Heydari being named his deputy.^[6]