The Iranian Armed Forces General Staff was created in 1989 to oversee coordination among Iran's three major security services: the army (known as the Artesh), the IRGC and the Law Enforcement Force. Since its inception, the body had been run by Maj. Gen. Hasan Firouzabadi, who had close ties to Khamenei before joining Iran's Basij paramilitary force. By replacing Firouzabadi with Bagheri — a man who does not share Firouzabadi's support for the nuclear deal — Khamenei can re-engage with the West economically while making the argument at home that Iran will stay true to its revolutionary spirit . Because Bagheri also has an extensive background in military intelligence, his new role will also better position the country's security services to address the threats now rising on multiple fronts. Fighting on Foreign Soil Syria, in particular, has created unforeseen challenges for the Iranian military.