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Ex-defense minister appointed Iran’s new chief of staff

Sunday, May 21, 2000 | 12:15 p.m.

Mohammad Salimi has served as military adviser to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, since 1988. Khamenei promoted Salimi to major general as part of the appointment, the radio said. Previously he was brigadier general.

Khamenei accepted the resignation of Brig. Gen. Ali Shahbazi, thanking him for his services as chief commander since 1987. The radio did not say why Shahbazi, who is about nine years younger than his successor, had resigned.

Born in the northeastern city of Mashhad in 1937, Salimi was defense minister in 1981-84. He left office after failing to win a vote of confidence in parliament during the Iran-Iraq War.

Iran's armed forces are divided between the regular army and the more powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which is larger and has its own ground and air forces. Khamenei himself is commander-in-chief of the combined forces.

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