The firm—founded with senior IRGC commanders and government officials—oversees the financial records of companies tied to Iran’s military establishment.
The IRGC newly appointed chief Ahmad Vahidi is a co-founder of the Defense Ministry Auditing firm, entrusted to oversee the financial records of the ministry’s network of affiliated companies.
Iran’s security apparatus uses such organizations to shield classified financial information from broader governmental scrutiny. (Another example is Mofid Rahbar, which oversees the vast empire of companies controlled by the Supreme Leader’s Office.)
The other Defense Ministry Auditing Firm founders are Mohammad Hosseinzadeh Hejazi (IRGC, died in 2021), Asghar Saleh Isfahani (IRGC-Navy), Qasem Taqizadeh (IRGC), Gholam Ali Movahedi (IRGC), Mostafa Esbati (Armed Forces), and Mohammad Eslami (Gov’t).
Overview of Defense Ministry Auditing Firm Founders
-Former Deputy IRGC Commander Mohammad Hosseinzadeh Hejazi died in 2021. He was among the founding members of Adishehaye Imam Khomeini Institute.
Established April 21, 2012, the institute’s articles of association say it is a “seminary” institution that will “set up centers in elementary [schools], high schools and universities to encourage students to join the clergy.” Pasta tycoon Reza Motallebi Kashani, who heads another Iranian political business empire, was one of the founding members of this institution.
Hejazi was deputy commander of the IRGC’s Tharrallah Headquarters, which is tasked with the security of the Iranian Capital and put down unrest during the protests that followed the 2009 presidential election.
Some of his other positions included deputy commander-chief of the IRGC, Commander of IRGC forces in Lebanon, and Commander of the Basij Forces (1997-2007).
- Commodore Asghar Saleh Isfahani previously headed the Iran-Oman Joint Military Commission, deputy for planning and budget for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic.
- Brigadier General Qasem Taqizadeh was deputy defense minister and headed the Atomic Energy Organization under the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi.
- Gholam Ali Movahedi is involved with various companies belonging to the Armed Forces, such as Shiraz Electronic Industries and the IRGC’s Sepah Cooperative Foundation (BTS) companies such as Alamas Hekmat Iranian Investment, Soroush Eqtesad Mehr, Zomorrod Fam Persian and Soroush Hekmat Iranian. He also is connected to the Sobh Qarib Iranian Foundation.
- Mostafa Esbati has held positions such as head of the Defense Ministry’s Marine Industries Organization and the head of the Armed Forces Social Security Organization. He has been a board member of Armed Forces companies.
- Mohammad Eslami is the current Minister of Roads and Urban Development and a member of the board of the Armed Forces Cooperative Organization, also known as ETKA Holding. He has held positions in the Islamic Revolution Committees, various defense industry organizations and Mostazafan Foundation (BM) companies. He teaches at Malek Ashtar University of Technology, formerly headed by assassinated nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
Adishehaye Imam Khomeini Culture and Research Institute
Established in April 21, 2012, the institute’s articles of association say it is a “seminary” institution that will “set up centers in elementary [schools], high schools and universities to encourage students to join the clergy.” Motallebi Kashani was one of the founding members of this institution. Other members include:
- Mohammad Hosseinzadeh Hejazi stands out among the founding members of Adishehaye Imam Khomeini Institute, as he is IRGC and was recently appointed as Deputy Quds Force Commander.1
He was deputy commander of the IRGC’s Tharrallah Headquarters which is tasked with the security of the Iranian Capital and put down unrest during the protests that followed the 2009 presidential election.
Some of his other positions include deputy commander-chief of the IRGC, Commander of IRGC forces in Lebanon, and Commander of the Basij Forces (1997-2007).
Public records show that Hejazi is also one of the founders of the Defense Ministry Auditing firm along with Ahmad Vahidi (IRGC-QF), Asghar Saleh Isfahani (IRGC-Navy), Qasem Taqizadeh (IRGC), Gholam Ali Movahedi (IRGC), Mostafa Esbati, and Mohammad Eslami.
Vahidi is the former Quds Force commander, former defense minister, and current member of the expediency council.
- Khamenei has described the Quds Force as “ Warriors Without Borders.” we should really use this