Major General Muhammad Salimi was among the commanders of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army during the Iran-Iraq War.

Muhammad Salimi was born in 1937 in Mashhad. His father was an Iranian Railway employee. During his childhood, he moved with his family to Tehran. After finishing primary school, his father recommended him to enter Nezam High School. In 1957, after receiving his secondary school diploma, Salimi entered the Officers’ Academy and graduated in 1961 in communications. From 1962 to 1970, he served in various army units in different positions, from commanding a garrison communications network to leading a communications company.⁠[1]

Salimi was a religiously committed person who was active against the Bahai movement. SAVAK reported his anti-Bahai activities to the military intelligence agency, and he was placed under surveillance and control. In 1968, on the occasion of Imam Ali’s (as) birth anniversary, and at the invitation of a group of Zanjan clerics, Salimi made a speech at a celebration ceremony held in the Seyyed Mosque of Zanjan. In the presence of military commanders, administrative officials, the head of SAVAK in Zanjan, and people from different walks of life, Salimi spoke out against the Bahai movement, described the character of Imam Ali (as), and discussed the concept of awaiting the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (as). He was subsequently summoned and interrogated.⁠[2]

On October 18, 1972, along with thirty of his like-minded friends, Salimi attempted to disrupt a Bahai meeting in Tehran. They entered the meeting and distributed leaflets against the Bahai movement, after which he was arrested by the police and handed over to army intelligence unit, where he was again interrogated. On January 20, 1979, the army intelligence unit identified him as a religious and unreliable individual who is a supporter of Imam Khomeini (ra). In August 1970, Salimi was sent to the United States to complete an English‑language course and an advanced specialization course in his branch. After returning to Iran in July 1971, he began teaching the principles and identification of radio‑relay and teletype systems at the Army Communications Training Center, where he worked as an instructor in the fundamentals of military communications.⁠[3]

In 1978, after completing the Command and Staff College course, he began teaching command courses as an instructor.⁠[4]

From July 25, 1979, Muhammad Salimi was assigned to the Ministry of National Defense, and from May 22, 1980, he was appointed Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.⁠[5] With the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War, Salimi held responsibilities such as head of Imam Khomeini’s Military Advisory Office and commander of the Irregular Warfare Headquarters (Martyr Chamran). Also, he played a role in several operations, including the liberation of Susangerd.⁠[6]

Colonel Muhammad Salimi received a vote of confidence from the Islamic Consultative Assembly on November 2, 1981, to serve as Minister of Defense, a position he held during the war until November 4, 1984.⁠[7]

After completing his tenure as Minister of Defense, Salimi continued service with the rank of brigadier general until 1989 as military adviser of and special inspector to the President, and head of the Supreme Defense Council. On December 22, 1989, he was appointed as the Supreme Leader’s military adviser on matters related to the Army Ground Forces.⁠[8] Following the resignation of Major General Ali Shahbazi,⁠[9] on May 23, 2000, Salimi was promoted to major general and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. By order of the Commander-in-Chief, he simultaneously served as commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya (pbuh) Air Defense Headquarters until 2005.⁠[10]

In June 2000, Major General Muhammad Salimi was awarded the “Nasr” Medal by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution.⁠[11] He resigned from his position on September 11, 2005.⁠[12] Major General Muhammad Salimi remained Special Adviser to the Commander-in-Chief on Army affairs until January 30, 2016, when he passed away⁠[13] at the age of 78 after an illness.⁠[14]

A book titled Yar-e Doost (The Friend’s Companion), written by Ebrahim Golfam and Qasem Akbari Muqaddam, has been published about the late Major General Muhammad Salimi.