Iran appoints new chief for army’s ground forces

Khamenei names Iran-Iraq War veteran Gen. Kiumars Heidari to top post

Iranian army cadets perform their Friday prayer at the Tehran university campus, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015.  (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iranian army cadets perform their Friday prayer at the Tehran university campus, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

TEHRAN, Iran — The website of Iran’s supreme leader reported that he has appointed a new chief for the national army’s ground forces.

The Saturday report said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, has appointed Gen. Kiumars Heidari to the post.

The 52-year-old Heidari was formerly the acting commander of the ground forces. He is a veteran of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war that cost both sides over a million people.

Separately, Khamenei also appointed the former chief of ground forces Gen. Ahmad Reza Pourdastan to the post of acting commander of the army. Pourdastan has served seven years in the post.

Both the national army and the elite Revolutionary Guard have their own separate air, naval and ground forces.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.

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