Morteza Yazdanpanah

Morteza Yazdanpanah (1888–1970) was an army officer who served as chief-of-staff in the Imperial Iranian army for two times, between 1941 and 1942 and in 1952. He also held other governmental and military positions during the reigns of Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Early life and education Yazdanpanah was born in Tehran in 1888. His father was a colonel in the army.

Career and activities Yazdanpanah was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1919 and to the rank of colonel in 1920. Yazdanpanah was the commander of the Iranian army's northern division during the coup organized by Reza Shah against Qajar dynasty in 1921. He was also the governor general of Tehran and the commander of the first army. Yazdanpanah was one of the founders of Iran-e-No Party, a short-lived anticlerical political party, in 1927. The same year he was briefly arrested by Reza Shah. and remained in the office until June 1950 when a new cabinet was formed by Haj Ali Razmara. Yazdanpanah's successor as war minister was Abdollah Hedayat. Yazdanpanah was also chief of the army in 1952. Mosaddegh asked him to retire, but Yazdanpanah did not accept his request. Eventually, Yazdanpanah was dismissed from office and replaced by Mahmoud Baharmast in the post. and was also made a senator in 1967.

Morteza Yazdanpanah died in 1970.