Wikipedia

Mohammad Kazemi

For the Iranian settlement, see Mohammad Kazemi (village).

Sardar

Mohammad Kazemi
Kazemi in 2019
Native name
محمد کاظمی‎
Born(1961-07-11)11 July 1961
Semnan, Iran
Died15 June 2025(2025-06-15) (aged 63)
Tehran, Iran
Cause of deathAssassination by airstrike
AllegianceIran
BranchIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
RankBrigadier general
Commands

Mohammad Kazemi (Persian: محمد کاظمی‎; 11 July 1961 – 15 June 2025) was an Iranian intelligence officer and brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He served as the commander of the IRGC's Intelligence Organization from 2022 until his death in 2025, when he was killed during the Israeli strikes on Iran.

Early life

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Kazemi was born on 11 July 1961 in Semnan, Iran, a city located east of the capital city, Tehran.[1][2]

Career

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Kazemi first became a member of the Islamic Revolution Committees formed by Ruhollah Khomeini to suppress opposition against it beginning in the 1980s.[2] He also served as an Iranian intelligence official.[2] Kazemi served as the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's (IRGC) Intelligence Protection Organization, a counter-intelligence agency,[3] from at least 2013.[1]

He was appointed chief of intelligence in June 2022, replacing Hossein Taeb. His rank was brigadier general.[4]

According to the Spreading Justice database, as head of intelligence Kazemi was "directly responsible for human rights violations against all Iranian citizens from various ethnicities, religions, orientations, professions, and political views".[1]

Sanctions

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In October 2022, Kazemi was designated by the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), under Executive Order 14078. In addition, he was sanctioned under Executive Order 13224 for his role in suppressing civil society in Iran and arresting dissidents, including dual nationals. Kazemi oversaw "the regime's brutal crackdown against protests" across Iran following the killing of Mahsa Amini.[5]

Kazemi was sanctioned by the United Kingdom in October 2024, along with other Iranian government figures.[6]

Death

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Kazemi and his deputy, Hassan Mohaqeq, were killed on 15 June 2025 during the Israeli strikes on Iran. His death was announced by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and later confirmed by Iran's Tasnim News Agency.[7][8] It had previously been reported in Iranian media that Kazemi and Mohaqeq were trapped under rubble after an airstrike on an IRGC Intelligence Organization building in Tehran.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Mohammad Kazemi". Spreading Justice. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Who was Mohammad Kazemi, the IRGC's chief intelligence officer killed by Israel?". The New Arab. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
  3. ^ "Iran replaces IRGC's intelligence chief", Al-Monitor, 23 June 2022, retrieved 23 June 2022
  4. ^ "Gen. Mohammad Kazemi appointed new IRGC intelligence chief", Mehr News Agency, 23 June 2022, retrieved 23 June 2022, The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami has appointed Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi as the new head of the IRGC's intelligence.
  5. ^ "Treasury Sanctions Officials of Iranian Intelligence Agency Responsible for Detention of U.S. Nationals in Iran". U.S. Department of the Treasury. 8 February 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  6. ^ Harpin, Lee (14 October 2024). "UK announces new sanctions against Iran in response to Israel attack". Jewish News. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  7. ^ Habibiazad, Ghoncheh (15 June 2025). "Israeli strike kills Iranian armed forces intelligence chief (section)". BBC News. Time posted 20:03. IRGC-linked Tasnim news agency and Iranian state TV say Kazemi died along with his deputy Hassan Mohaqeq and commander Mohsen Baqeri in Israeli attacks on Sunday.
  8. ^ Yehoshua, Yossi; Khabibulin, Iskander; Edelson, Daniel (15 June 2025). "Top IRGC intelligence command reportedly eliminated in Tehran strike". Ynetnews.
  9. ^ Habibulin, Iskandar (15 June 2025). "Report: 'Head of Revolutionary Guards Intelligence and deputy trapped in rubble in Tehran'". Ynet. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of the Intelligence Protection Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
2008–2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
2022–2025