Posted on 01/09/2006 9:27:51 AM PST by Flavius
ehran, Iran, Jan. 09 – A dozen senior commanders of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) died in a plane crash in northwest Iran on Monday, a government spokesman announced.
A Falcon jet belonging to the IRGC crashed 13 kilometres southeast of Lake Orumieh, killing all 15 passengers on board. They included seven members of the General Command of the IRGC Ground Forces.
The commanders who died in the crash included Brigadier General Ahmad Kazemi, commander of the IRGC Ground Forces and a rising star in Iran’s radical Islamist military, Brigadier General Saeed Mohtadi, commander of the IRGC’s 27 Mohammad Division, Brigadier General Hanif, Director of Intelligence of the IRGC Ground Forces, Brigadier General Soleimani, Director of Operations of the IRGC Ground Forces, and Brigadier General Yazdani, Commander of the IRGC Artillery.
The Revolutionary Guards Corps was founded in the early days of the Islamic revolution in 1979 as an armed force loyal to Iran’s clerical rulers. Its commanders directly report to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and their mission is to “protect and propagate the Islamic revolution”.
Prior to his recent appointment as commander of the IRGC Ground Forces, Kazemi commanded the IRGC Air Force and Missile Forces. He was promoted in the recent reshuffle of the IRGC general command that was ordered by the Supreme Leader and was regarded as a loyal Khamenei supporter.
In a statement released in Tehran, the General Command of the Armed Forces said the IRGC plane crashed at 9:30 am local time near Orumieh Airport. It identified the cause of the crash as the failure of both engines. Earlier reports cited fuel shortage and bad weather as the cause of the crash.
Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad praised Ahmad Kazemi and other IRGC commanders who were killed in the incident. He said the armed forces “must become symbols of resilience and honour by awaiting the return of the Mahdi [the Shiite messiah] and obeying the Supreme Leader”.
The top IRGC commanders were on a mission to visit IRGC forces in north-western Iran near the Turkish and Iraqi borders.
The blow to the IRGC comes at a critical time when the force has been given huge powers by the Supreme Leader in the wake of the consolidation of power by the ultra-conservative faction after the election of Ahmadinejad, who is himself a former commander of the IRGC. Hundreds of Revolutionary Guards commanders have been given senior government positions. At least 13 ministers in Ahmadinejad’s cabinet hail from the Revolutionary Guards.
As part of sweeping changes in the IRGC, Khamenei recently appointed a radical Shiite cleric, Ali Saeedi, as his personal representative to the IRGC. Saeedi, who will act as the chief ideological commissar of the Revolutionary Guards, has already reactivated the dormant Political Bureau of the IRGC and has told the Guards’ commanders that the Supreme Leader wants the force to play a much more prominent role in the political arena.
A day ahead of the crash, sources close to the IRGC said in Tehran that further reshuffles in the Guards’ top command were afoot. They mentioned plans to promote Brigadier General Mohammad Hejazi as the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the IRGC.
Security forces in Orumieh have sealed off the site of the crash and many military commanders have arrived at the scene, according to eye-witnesses.
shucks.
This happened very close to where our Blackhawk and 12 Americans went down 2 days ago, right? Up where Iran, Iraq, and Turkey borders meet. I like thinking that this was retaliation.
Hmmm. Interesting theory.
Coup prevention. I wonder if these guys were plotting a coup.
They might have had some sanity in regards to nukes. Or since they were all Revoultionary Guard Guys..might not the regular army type want to take them out before they stage a coup. Wasn't there an assanation attempt on the Iranian President last month?
There was another big plane crash in Iran only a month ago! It was also an Islamic Republic Air Force plane, but a C130. 94 people died, mostly journalists. They were being flown to cover a special military exercise, to boast of their preparedness for war. It also killed 10 people on the ground since it hit a 10 story apartment building.
i doubt we're that good.
This also may be an internal action.
It has been said here on FR that Ahmadinejad wanted to replace Supreme Leader Khamenei with a mullah of his own choice, but that it would be difficult because so many of the leaders in the IRGC were loyal to Khamenei. It appears that all the men who died in the crash were Khamenei loyalists (they reported to the Supreme Leader and not to Ahmadinejad).
This may be a prelude to further consolidation of power by Ahmadinejad.
Heh heh...
We already have EMP related technologies that can fry all circuitry while leaving living things untouched, I'm sure that could bring down a plane. It was released that this technology can be saddled on to a cruise missle, that could then redirect itself to remove evidence, or from ground based radar, or may be available from a spacebourne platform by now.
http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/army/mipb/1997-1/merkle.htm
falling star
That's my take as well.
I find it hard to believe that many "higher ups" were on the same plane.
Even if it was internal, it still works for me...
Remember Stalin and Hitler were fond of killing their military leaders on occasion....it led to inability of the military....so, if it was US, Israel, or internal elimination, it weakens their military.....
Good. Let 'em keep being friends with the French and getting their crappy 2nd-run airplanes!
interesting! I don't know the answer......but I like the thought that the B/H was who got the Irani's and that the B/H crash is a cover story that never happened.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.