Ali Shamkhani

Ali Shamkhani (Persian and Khuzestani Arabic: علی شمخانی, born 29 September 1955) is an Iranian two-star general. He is the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran.

Amir Ali Shamkhani
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 September 2013
President	Hassan Rouhani
Preceded by	Saeed Jalili
Minister of Defence
In office 20 August 1997 – 24 August 2005
President	Mohammad Khatami
Preceded by	Mohammad Forouzandeh
Succeeded by	Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar
Minister of Revolutionary Guards
In office 20 September 1988 – 21 August 1989
President	Ali Khamenei Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Prime Minister	Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Preceded by	Mohsen Rafighdoost
Succeeded by	Ministry dissolved
Personal details
Born	(1955-09-29) 29 September 1955 Ahvaz, Iran
Political party	Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (1979–1981)
Alma mater	Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz
Military service
Allegiance	Iran
Branch/service	IRGC Navy (1985–97) IRIA Navy (1989–97)
Years of service	1981–1997
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands	Navy of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
Battles/wars	Iran–Iraq War
Awards	One 1st garde and Two 2nd grade Fath Medal[1][2] Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud[3]

Early life and education

Shamkhani was born on 29 September 1955 in Ahvaz, Khuzestan. His family are of Iranian Arab origin.[4][5] Before the Iranian Revolution, Shamkhani was member of a clandestine Islamist guerilla group named Mansouroun (lit. 'The Victors'), engaging in armed struggle against the Pahlavi dynasty. After the revolution, he joined the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization.[6] He studied engineering at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz.[7]

Career

Shamkhani served as the commander of the IRGC navy with the rank of rear admiral.[8] Later he also commanded the Artesh navy in addition to the IRGC navy.[9] He was appointed the Minister of Revolutionary Guards in 1988.[10]

Then he held the post of the minister of defense from August 1997 until August 2005 in the government of Mohammad Khatami.[11][12][13] Shamkani was replaced by Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar in the post.[9] Shamkhani also ran for office in the 2001 presidential elections.[5][14]

He was the director of the Iranian Armed Forces' Center for Strategic Studies from 2005 to 2013.[15][16] He is also military advisor to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.[17][18]

On 10 September 2013, Shamkhani was appointed secretary of the Supreme National Security Council by President Hassan Rouhani.[18]

Shamkhani condemned the US-led coalition airstrikes in Mosul in March 2017 which he said killed more than 200 civilians and accused the United States of committing war crimes.[19]

Awards and honors

In 2003, Shamkhani received the Shoja'at Medal, the highest military medal from President Mohammad Khatami.[20] He was also honored for his eight years service as minister of defence in 2005.[20] In 2004, Shamkhani received the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud, the highest Medal in Saudi Arabia from King Fahd for his prominent role in the design and implementation in developing relations with Arabic countries in the Persian Gulf.[20][21] He is the first Iranian minister to receive the medal.[20]

See also

• List of Iranian two-star generals since 1979

References

1. عنوان : اولين مراسم اهدا نشان فتح Navide Shahed
2. farsnews
3. Biography Hamshahri Online
4. Bar, Shmuel (2004). "Iranian Defense Doctrine and Decision Making" (PDF). Institute for Policy and Strategy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
5. Antony Preston (August 2001). "Yards Compete for Denmark's Command and Support Vessels". Navy League of the United States. Archived from the original on 7 January 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
6. Alfoneh, Ali (2013), Iran Unveiled: How the Revolutionary Guards Is Transforming Iran from Theocracy into Military Dictatorship, AEI Press, p. 10
7. "Ali Shamkhani". Los Angeles Times. Tehran. 15 November 1998. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
8. Zeb, Rizwan (12 February 2003). "The emerging Indo-Iranian strategic alliance and Pakistan". CACI Analyst. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
9. "Rouhani's Cautious Pick For Defense Minister". 7 November 2017. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
10. Rahnema, Ali (20 February 2013) [December 15, 2008]. "ii. Jamʿiyat-e Moʾtalefa and the Islamic Revolution". JAMʿIYAT-E MOʾTALEFA-YE ESLĀMI i. Hayʾathā-ye Moʾtalefa-ye Eslāmi 1963-79. Encyclopædia Iranica. Fasc. 5. XIV. New York City: Bibliotheca Persica Press. pp. 483–500. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
11. Bahman Baktiari (1996). Parliamentary Politics in Revolutionary Iran: The Institutionalization of Factional Politics. University Press of Florida. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-8130-1461-6. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
12. Mehran Riazaty (29 June 2005). "Iran's new president". American Thinker. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
13. Rachel Ingber (14 August 1997). "Khatami's Cabinet Choices: On the Record" (Policy Watch 264). Retrieved 28 August 2013.
14. Sahliyeh, Emile (2002). "The reforming elections in Iran, 2000–2001" (PDF). Electoral Studies. 21. doi:10.1016/s0261-3794(01)00041-5. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
15. "Iran to Down Other US Drones If Violations Continue". The Journal of Turkish Weekly. 16 December 2011. Archived from the original on 27 August 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
16. "General Mohammad Salimi". Iran Briefing. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
17. Jamil Theyabi (12 August 2008). "The Iranian "Giant"". Al Hayat. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
18. "Rouhani Appointed Former Defense Minister as the Secretary of NSC". Nasim Online. 10 September 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
19. "Iran urges 'war crime' hearing into US killings in Mosul". Press TV. 26 March 2017.
20. علی شمخانی، دبیر شورای عالی امنیت ملی ایران شد Shafaqna
21. علی شمخانی گزینه اصلی تصدی گری وزارت کشور روحانی Archived 9 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine Barfaaz

External links

Media related to Ali Shamkhani at Wikimedia Commons

Military offices
Preceded by Yousef Kolahdouz	Second-in-Command of the IRGC June 1982 – 24 September 1989	Succeeded by Yahya Rahim Safavi
Preceded by Mohammad Hossein Malekzadegan	Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy 30 October 1989 – 27 August 1997	Succeeded by Abbas Mohtaj
Preceded by Hossein Alaei	Commander of the IRGC Navy 23 December 1990 – 27 August 1997	Succeeded by Ali Akbar Ahmadian
Political offices
Preceded by Mohsen Rafighdoost	Minister of Revolutionary Guards 20 September 1988 – 21 August 1989	Ministry dissolved
Preceded by Mohammad Forouzandeh	Minister of Defense 20 August 1997 – 24 August 2005	Succeeded by Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar
Preceded by Saeed Jalili	Secretary of the SNSC 10 September 2013 – present	Incumbent