Mohammad Ali Jafari

Mohammad Ali Jafari has commanded Iran's Revolutionary Guards since 2007. From a poor background, he received his basic education in his hometown of Yazd before attending Tehran University with financial help. While at university, he became involved in anti-Shah protests; some allege that he participated in the American Embassy siege. During the Iran-Iraq War, he served in the Revolutionary Guards, the section of Iran's military now tasked with preserving the republic's Islamic character.

In 2007, Jafari replaced Yahya Safavi as head of the Revolutionary Guards. Some believe Safavi was removed because he had become too involved in politics; Jafari is seen as primarily a tactician and void of political ambition. During recent protests, the Revolutionary Guards were charged with quelling the dissent. In June 2011, he was banned from entering the European Union after the Guards allegedly supported al-Assad during the Syrian uprising.

For more information, see http://to.pbs.org/8NTWH0.