Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani

Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani (; born 1960) is an Iranian military officer who served as the deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces from 2024 to 2026. A position he previously held from 2019 to 2021. Gharaei Ashtiani was the minister of defence and armed forces logistics from 2021 to 2024, under the presidency of Ebrahim Raisi.

Due to his connections to the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of Russia and Iranian defense industry, Ashtiani was sanctioned by the United States Department of Treasury.

Early life Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani was born in 1960 in Tehran.

Military career He entered the officers' academy in 1979 and completed his bachelor's degree studies in 1982. After completing his introductory course at the Shiraz Infantry Center, he underwent specialized training in the 23rd Commando Division and began his official military service in the 172nd Battalion of the 2nd Brigade within the 23rd Takavar Division. In 1984, by order of Ali Sayad Shirazi, the then-commander of the Army Ground Forces, he was assigned to train officer cadets at the Imam Ali Officers' Academy.

Gharaei advanced through various command ranks during the Iran–Iraq War. Following the end of the war, Ashtiani earned a Master's degree in Military Affairs from the Army Command and Staff University and subsequently received a Doctorate in Defense Management from the Supreme National Defense University. In 1999, he was appointed as the Deputy Commander of the Army Ground Forces, and a year later, he became the Deputy Chief of Army Logistics, Support, and Industrial Research, serving in this role until 2005. Between 2005 and 2008, he served as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army.

In 2008, he was transferred to the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Until 2013, he initially headed the Strategic Management and Human Resources Group of the General Staff, and later served as the Deputy Chief of Planning and Programs for the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. From 2013 to 2019, Gharaei Ashtiani held the position of Deputy Chief of Inspection for the General Staff of the Armed Forces.

Ashtiani was promoted to the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Islamic Republic of Iran (Artesh) on 2 July 2019, following a decree by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Ashtiani replaced Major General Ataollah Salehi. He was selected to be the Minister of Defense by President Ebrahim Raisi and then was approved for the position and took office on 25 August 2021.

Defense Minister

Ashtiani’s selection for the position was favored by outgoing minister Amir Hatami who called Ashtiani the “best candidate” for position. Ashtiani said that he would prioritize exporting various defense products to other countries around the world. He was reappointed as deputy chief of staff a week later

International sanctions On May 31, 2024, Ashtiani was placed on an EU sanctions list by the EU Council. He is accused of facilitating and providing material support to Russia's war against Ukraine by supplying Iranian weaponry, namely unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to Russia's Armed Forces.

Awards and decorations