Ataollah Salehi

Major General Ataollah Salehi (born 9 March 1950) is the current commander-in-chief of the Iranian Army since 2005. He graduated before the Islamic Revolution from the Iranian Army's military academy in 1971 with the rank of Artillery Second Lieutenant of the Army's Ground Forces.

He has the direct operational command authority over the commanders of Iranian Army's Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy and Air Defense Force.

As head of Iran's regular military he is a member of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

Criticizing the IRGC
The Iranian Army has published an article on the 8th of February 2009, heavily criticizing the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (IRGC) and Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) for falsification of the facts about the Iran–Iraq War in favor of the IRGC and ignoring the role of the Iranian Army in the war.

Major General Salehi as the commander-in-chief of the Army along with other high ranking generals of the Army signed this article in an extremely shocking action for the IRGC and the top level officials of the Iranian regime. Because it was the very first time in the Islamic Republic's history that an official organisation has dared to publicly criticize the IRGC, as the IRGC is considered a holy organisation and the main military force to harass and crush the Islamic Revolution's opposition forces.

This action of Major General Salehi is believed to aim at reconstruction of the Army's authority which has been sharply declined after the Islamic Revolution.

Quotes
The enemy has gone insane and given the insane enemy's history, we should always be prepared.

''The Iranian nation will observe that we will manufacture the largest destroyer and the most advanced submarines in the region. Mass production of fighter jets, the samples of which were unveiled last year (2008), and plans to manufacture vessels and submarines will be on our agenda in the new (Iranian) year (started 20 March).''

''The characteristics of the Zionist regime of Israel are terrorism, espionage and blood-sucking, usurper regime which has occupied Palestinian lands by force. Israel cannot continue its military, political and social life. Hence, it is trying to postpone its disintegration through activities such as espionage.''

Israel can never make its threat operational.