Army Commander Receives Promotion

Lieutenant General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan has been promoted from the commander of Iranian Army to the second-in-command of the Armed Forces. Pourdastan, who had served for seven years in the post, replaces Lieutenant General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani as the deputy commander of the Armed Forces. Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei made the appointment in a decree issued on Saturday, IRNA reported. In a separate directive on Saturday, the Leader filled the vacant position by appointing Lieutenant General Kiumars Heydari as the new chief of the Army. The 52-year-old Heydari was formerly Pourdastan's deputy. Ayatollah Khamenei, the commander-in-chief of military forces, said the appointments have been made as per the proposal by Commander of the Armed Forces Major General Ataollah Salehi. The Armed Forces are one of the two main branches of Iranian military, the second one being the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, which has its own air, naval and ground forces.