---
born: 1929
category: Other
died: 2006
location: Tehran, Iran
summary: Admiral Ahmad Madani was a significant figure in the Iranian military and
  politics.
tags:
- Person
---

Admiral [Ahmad Madani](/people/ahmad-madani/) was a significant figure in the [Iranian](/places/iran/) military and politics. In the 1960s, he was the youngest admiral in the [Shah's](/people/mohammad-reza-pahlavi/) navy. He was forced to resign in 1970 due to alleged corruption, though in fact, it was because he was becoming too outspoken in his criticism of the [Shah's](/people/mohammad-reza-pahlavi/) regime.[^1]

After the [Iranian Revolution](/events/iranian-revolution/) in February 1979, [Khomeini](/people/ayatollah-ruhollah-khomeini/) restored him to commander of the navy and appointed him defense minister. In April 1979, he left the post of defense minister to become the governor of the strategic Khuzistan province on the [Iraqi](/places/iraq/) border. He remained a close adviser to [Khomeini](/people/ayatollah-ruhollah-khomeini/) on all defense-related matters.[^1]

[Madani](/people/ahmad-madani/) was defeated by Abol Hassan Bani-Sadr in the election for the first president of [Iran](/places/iran/) after the revolution.[^1]

[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.