Salami stands out among the commanders of the IRGC for his use of fiery and aggressive speeches targeting the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. According to researcher Mehdi Khalaji, he has relied on "innovatively circumventing economic sanctions, developing Iran’s missile programme and maintaining the regime’s defiant regional policy".[5]
After joining the IRGC when the Iran–Iraq War started, Salami rose through the ranks, becoming deputy commander.[5] On 21 April 2019, Ali Khamenei appointed him as the new Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, replacing Mohammad Ali Jafari who had held the post since September 2007.[1]
On 7 January 2020, Salami spoke at the funeral of his comrade in arms and IRGC Quds force subordinate, Qasem Soleimani, who had been killed the previous Friday near Iraq's Baghdad International Airport by a US airstrike: "I say the last word at the beginning: we will take revenge. We will take revenge, a revenge that will be tough, strong, decisive and finishing, and will make them regret."[7][8]
In the matter of 8 January 2020 shootdown of UIA flight PS752 due to IRGC missiles, on 13 January Salami went to the Iran Parliament and said "We did make a mistake. Some of our compatriots were martyred because of our mistake but it was unintentional... In my all lifetime I haven't been as sorry as much as now. Never... I wish I had been on board and burned with them... May God forgive us and then after than Iranian people and the families of the victims forgive us. And we for this incident, we were determined all the more to make it up."[9]
On 5 March 2020, Salami said, referencing COVID-19, that "We are now dealing with a biological war." He argued that it "may be the product of American biological warfare." This theory was amplified on 8 March by the state-run Press TV.[10]
Amidst the Mahsa Amini protests, Salami who was speaking at a funeral of victims killed in a terrorist attack by ISIS stated: "This sinister plan, is a plan hatched … in the White House and the Zionist regime", while proclaiming: '"Do not come to the streets. Today is the last day of riots," and further added "Don’t sell your honour to America and don’t slap the security forces, who are defending you, in the face."[11]
Salami stands out among the commanders of the Revolutionary Guards for his fiery and aggressive speeches targeting the US, Israel[12] and Saudi Arabia.[13] For instance, during a speech on Iranian TV, Salami reportedly stated: '“We are planning to break America, Israel, and their partners and allies. Our ground forces should cleanse the planet from the filth of their existence” [1]
In January 2019, Salami said: “We will fight them on the global level, not just in one spot. Our war is not a local war. We have plans to defeat the world powers.”[14]
In the aftermath of the April 2024 Iranian attack on Israel, Salami stated: "Our information on all of the hits is not complete yet but on that part of the hits that we have accurate, documented and field-related reports show that this operation has been carried out with a success that exceeded the expectation".[15]
Look at the scenes of the crime in Gaza. It is the real face of Western civilization that wants to transfer this culture to the whole world in the phenomenon of globalization. Cruelty, war, sedition, fire and blood are the main elements of the cultural identity of the Western world, so this situation cannot be tolerated for us. The United States has targeted the entire Islamic world … it seeks to dominate all Muslims, hijack their cultural identities and seize their wealth. All Muslims are, therefore, in the same boat. If the enemy manages to infiltrate into a Muslim state, it will go on with others. Therefore, the path for aggressors to [advance their] dominance must be blocked. Jihad for the liberation of those Muslims who are under the control of the Taghut (polytheists) is the most attractive and most beautiful responsibility and mission for us, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.[16]
Comments on the September 11 attacks
At a convention of volunteers for suicide operations in June 2004, Salami, then Iran's Revolutionary Guards Headquarters for Strategic Operations director, said, "By means of small tactical events, it is possible to arrive at strategic results. Your eyes see that by cutting down two towers in the U.S., the history of the world has been divided in two: before the event, and after it…"[17]
On 8 April 2019, the US inflicted economic and travel sanctions on the IRGC and organizations, companies, and individuals affiliated with them.[22] Salami said the IRGC was proud that Washington named them as a terrorist group.[1] It was later remarked that Salami was included on the sanctions list as he had been promoted on 21 April commander of the IRGC.[12]
On 3 October 2022, Salami was included in a Canadian sanctions list that included 9 Iranian entities, and 25 senior officials. The sanctions came in reaction to the Death of Mahsa Amini, and the persecution of protestors in the widescale protests that ensued.[23]
