Hossein Ashtari (Persian: حسین اشتری) is an Iranian military officer who served as Iran's Chief of police, the chief commander of Law Enforcement Command, from 2015 until early 2023.


Hossein Ashtari
Born1959
Isfahan, Pahlavi Iran
AllegianceIran
Service / branchRevolutionary Guards
Law Enforcement Command
RankBrigadier general
Battles / wars

Prior to the appointment, he was second-in-command of the forces replacing Ahmad-Reza Radan, having previously served as the commander of Intelligence and Security Police until 2014.[1]

Ashtari is a former general of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.[2]

Sanctions

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Hossein Ashtari is among the 13 military and country officials who are responsible for suppressing the protesters of 2019–2020 Iranian protests. On May 20, 2020, the US Treasury Department put Hossein Ashtari on its sanctions list, along with Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli and several other senior officials of the security forces. According to the statement of the Treasury Department of the United States, Hossein Ashtari, as the commander of the police force of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was involved in the killing of "hundreds of protesters" in November 2018. [3]

On April 12, 2021, Hossein Ashtari was sanctioned by the European Union for serious human violations and suppressing the protests of 2019–2020 Iranian protests and was placed on the sanctions list of this union. According to the announcement of this union, his assets in Europe are blocked and he is prohibited from traveling to European countries and receiving visas from these countries. [4]

The UK government sanctioned Hossein Ashtari and 6 other officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Monday, October 10, 2022, for participating in the suppression of the 2022 protests due to the death of Mehsa Amini, as well as the November 1998 protests. [5]

References

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  1. ^ "Security forces chief replaces deputy". Radio Zamaneh. 27 May 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Iran's Law Enforcement Shuffle Reflects Concern About Protests". The Washington Institute. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  3. ^ "Treasury Sanctions Iran's Interior Minister and Senior Law Enforcement Officials in Connection with Serious Human Rights Abuses". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.
  4. ^ "Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/584 of 12 April 2021 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran". Official website of the European Union.
  5. ^ "UK sanctions Iranian 'Morality Police' and senior security officials". The UK Government.
Police appointments
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Police
9 March 2015 – 7 January 2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by Second-in-Command of the Iranian Police
27 May 2014 – 9 March 2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Unknown
Commander of Iranian Security Police
2005 – 27 May 2014
Succeeded by
Gholamreza Rezaeianfar