Habibollah Sayyari

Vice Admiral Habibollah Sayyari served as Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (NEDAJA) from 2007 to 2017, making him one of the longest-serving NEDAJA commanders. During his decade-long tenure he oversaw a significant expansion of Iran's naval ambitions: the deployment of Iranian naval flotillas to the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy operations (Iran's first sustained presence in international waters), port calls in China and Russia, and a substantial domestic shipbuilding and retrofit programme. He commanded the navy during the 2011–2012 period when Iran sent warships through the Suez Canal for the first time since the Islamic Revolution — a deliberate political signal. Following his replacement by Hossein Khanzadi in 2017, Sayyari was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Artesh for Coordination, a senior joint-forces role reflecting his continued institutional standing.