General Mohammad Kazemi – Iran’s Intelligence Chief Leading the IRGC’s Secret War | Biography

“Explore the role of General Mohammad Kazemi, the secretive head of Iran’s IRGC Intelligence Organization. Learn how he reshaped Iran’s counter-espionage and internal security apparatus.”

Introduction

Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi holds the position of Chief within the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a pivotal, clandestine, and highly influential segment of Iran’s military and security infrastructure. His role is crucial in influencing Iran's policies regarding domestic security, intelligence methodologies, and counterespionage strategies, particularly during escalating regional conflicts and heightened global observation.
Kazemi's ascent mirrors a larger transformation in Iran's intelligence leadership, emphasizing operational confidentiality, rigorous internal discipline, and counter-infiltration tactics, driven by a need to address both domestic disturbances and external dangers such as sabotage, cyber intrusions, and assassination schemes aimed at prominent Iranian scientists and military leaders.

Background and Career Trajectory of General Mohammad Kazemi

While information about Kazemi’s formative years and personal life is minimal, consistent with the covert nature of his position, he boasts an extensive history within the IRGC's intelligence framework. Previously, he led the IRGC's Intelligence Protection Organization, concentrating on internal security and counterintelligence, particularly to obstruct infiltrations by adversarial foreign operatives, notably from Israel’s Mossad and the CIA.
His appointment in June 2022, succeeding Hossein Taeb—a prominent and long-serving intelligence leader—was interpreted as a tactical decision by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, aimed at redefining the IRGC's intelligence priorities in light of several intelligence setbacks, including:

• The assassination of prominent nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh (2020)
• Various explosions at Iranian nuclear and military sites
• Covert Israeli actions within Iranian borders
• Increasing civil unrest and anti-government demonstrations

General Kazemi’s low public visibility and expertise in counter-espionage indicate a pivot toward more stringent security measures and eliminating potential informants or infiltrators.

What is the IRGC Intelligence Organization (Sazman-e Ettela'at-e Sepah)?

The IRGC Intelligence Organization (IRO) operates separately from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS), yet there is often a degree of overlap in their authority. Founded around 2009, it serves as a parallel intelligence body directly loyal to the Supreme Leader, assigned with:

• Monitoring political opposition
• Confronting foreign intelligence threats, particularly from Israel and the U. S.
• Surveillance of journalists, civil society, and academic figures
• Tracking anti-government activists both domestically and abroad
• Securing nuclear and military research initiatives
• Conducting external intelligence operations in collaboration with the IRGC-Quds Force

Under General Kazemi’s leadership, the IRO has enhanced its concentration on domestic intelligence security amidst significant protests, sabotage attempts, and regional clandestine conflicts.

Key Responsibilities of General Mohammad Kazemi

1. Counter-Espionage Operations

General Kazemi’s primary focus involves neutralizing threats from foreign espionage. This encompasses identifying and thwarting:

• Mossad agents and Israeli intelligence factions operating within Iran
• CIA activities and intelligence networks in border regions
• Surveillance or infiltration efforts in Iran’s defense sectors
• Information leaks concerning missile, drone, and nuclear initiatives

He spearheads operations to apprehend suspected spies, dismantle sabotage frameworks, and execute security evaluations throughout Iran’s military and governmental institutions.

2. Protecting Strategic Facilities

In recent years, Iran’s vital military and nuclear installations have faced threats. General Kazemi oversees the following responsibilities:

• Securing nuclear sites such as Natanz, Fordow, and Arak
• Monitoring IRGC missile storage facilities
• Conducting intelligence risk evaluations for research and aerospace laboratories
• Protection of Strategic Scientists and Military Engineers

He presumably collaborates extensively with Iran's Passive Defense Organization, which is tasked with enhancing infrastructure resilience and planning against sabotage.

3. Surveillance of Domestic Dissent

The intelligence branch of the IRGC, led by Kazemi, plays a pivotal role in monitoring domestic unrest and quelling dissent. This encompasses:

• Observing protests and political opposition groups
• Tracking activists, bloggers, and dissidents in academia
• Intercepting encrypted online messages
• Targeting dual citizens alleged to be involved in espionage or activism

Since taking office, General Kazemi has reportedly reinforced internal structures, executed arrests of suspected "moles," and broadened cyber-surveillance initiatives across social media channels.

4. Foreign Intelligence and Hybrid Warfare

While the IRGC Intelligence Organization focuses more on internal matters compared to the Quds Force, it nevertheless engages in foreign activities by:

• Exchanging intelligence with Quds operatives in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon
• Executing cyber operations against Israel and the United States
• Delivering real-time battlefield intelligence in proxy conflicts (such as those involving Hezbollah or Hashd al-Shaabi)
• Monitoring Iranian dissidents residing overseas

General Kazemi's leadership enhances hybrid warfare approaches, intertwining cyber, intelligence, and informational tactics to deter and disrupt adversaries.

Why Was Hossein Taeb Replaced by General Kazemi?

General Hossein Taeb’s term was characterized by numerous significant intelligence failures. Notably:

• Israeli operatives penetrated Iranian territory and executed audacious missions
• Data regarding the nuclear program was allegedly smuggled abroad
• An increase in suspicious fatalities and explosions at military sites
• Public critiques of the IRGC’s intelligence inadequacies

The appointment of Mohammad Kazemi in 2022 was a direct reaction to these issues, aimed at reinstating discipline, confidentiality, and operational credibility within Iran’s intelligence apparatus.

Strategic Importance of General Kazemi's Role

General Kazemi occupies a quiet yet crucial position in Iran’s national security framework. His duties impact:

• Iran’s stability in the face of international pressures
• Protection of military technologies and sensitive defense initiatives
• Resilience of IRGC intelligence operations
• Iran’s capability to identify preemptive strikes or sabotage efforts

His leadership mirrors Khamenei’s aim for complete control, loyalty, and professionalism within the intelligence divisions of the IRGC.

Public Profile and Statements

In contrast to his predecessor, Kazemi maintains a distance from the media. His public engagements are exceedingly infrequent, and he communicates primarily through official statements, if he communicates at all.
This deliberate low visibility serves dual purposes:

1. Protection against foreign assassination threats
2. Maintaining operational secrecy in a hostile intelligence landscape

This discretion parallels the model of modern intelligence leadership within the IRGC—emphasizing stealth over symbolism.