Dastjerdi Appointed to Lead an IRGC Conglomerate

Amid the economic changes undergoing in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and its influence in Iran’s powerful and wealthy institutions, Guards general Ahmad Vahid Dastjerdi, the current deputy of intelligence protection at ayatollah Khamenei’s office and among the first to be put on the international sanctions list because of his role in Iran’s ballistic missile industry, was appointed to head the Bonyad Taavon Sepah (Cooperative Foundation of the IRGC), the largest holding company of the force.

The appointment of Dastjerdi comes two weeks after ayatollah Khamenei appointed Parviz Fattah, the former head of the Cooperative, to lead the Komite Emdad Imam Khomeini (Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation), a multi-billion dollar charity. The top IRGC commander general Mohammad-Ali Jaafari issued Dastjerdi’s appointment. Dastjerdi has had various senior government positions, including the head of the aerospace division of the IRGC and deputy defense minister during an Ahmadinejad administration. The Cooperative Foundation of the IRGC has holdings in such economic/business entities as the Iran Telecommunications Company, Talia Company, Bahman Auto Manufacturing Plant, Bank Ansar, Samen al-Amme Financial-Credit Group, Mobin Net Company, and the Consortium for the Southern Pars Oil Fields Phase.