Lieutenant General Morteza Khosrovani

Farideh Sharifi

 

Son of Agha Hashem Mahallati, lieutenant general Morteza Khosrovani was born in Mahallat, 1905. Following his primary education, he entered the officer’s college and was graduated from it to go to France to attend the pilot training courses. In Iran he continued his education and was graduated from the pilot’s college and was engaged in teaching at the officer’s college for some years. He became a major specialist in air photography. He attended the complementary courses in Italy and England. He was promoted a colonel and the chief of the first and the fourth staff of the air forces. He became brigadier general in 1955 and eventually became the deputy commandant of air forces. He was promoted major in 1959 and the deputy of the fourth bureau of the general staff, and then the chief of the fifth bureau of the general staff.

 

He received different orders including the crown, honor, Rastakhiz, competence, service, knowledge, and industry.

 

Khosrovani became the head of the chief of the justice court of the armed forces instead of lieutenant general Hussein Azmudeh. In his office, Khosrovani condemned many young members of the opposition to severe and capital punishment. In his office he had problems with lieutenant general Nassiri who was the chief of the police at that time. The Shah had to choose one of these two; Nassiri was favored and lieutenant general Khosrovani was removed from his office.

 

Among many figures who created the grounds for the great rising of June 5^th, 1963, we may refer to Hajj Tayyeb Rezai one of big meidandars of Tehran. Legal action was brought against him, and lieutenant Nassiri, the military governor of Tehran informed the Shah that Tayyeb is the main instigator of the crisis. Lieutenant Khosrovani signed the capital punishment decree for Tayyeb who was executed in Heshmatieh square of Tehran, Nov.3^rd, 1963.

 

There is not much information of Khosrovani after his retirement except that he fled to abroad after the Islamic revolution and died in Paris.