Qasem-Ali Zahirnejad

Qasem-Ali Zahirnejad Ershadi was born in 1924 in the city of Ardabil. Zahirnejad began his studies in the Officers' School in 1951. After graduation, he began his career in the Imperial Iranian Army in 1954 with the rank of Second Lieutenant in the 7th Division of Urmia. He retired from the army in 1973 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He returned following the Iranian Revolution in 1979 to prevent a rebellion in Kurdistan and was promoted to Colonel, becoming the commander of 64th Infantry Division. In 1980, Zahirnejad was promoted to Brigadier General, leading the gendarmerie, before being promoted a year later to the position of Chief of the Joint Staff. Throughout the Iran–Iraq War, his insistence on regular military commanders and conventional tactics led to clashes with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

from 1984 to 1986, he served as the Representative of the Supreme Leader in the Supreme National Security Council.

Zahirnejad retired on 6 November 1989 with the rank of Major General and then he led the Military Advisory Group to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces from 1989 until 1999. He died of a stroke in Tehran on 13 October 1999.

• List of Iranian two-star generals since 1979