Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami has appointed Gholamhossein Gheybparvar as his deputy at the revolutionary guards Central Security Headquarters in a possible bid to tighten security measures against possible protests.

The new appointment signals anticipation of possible unrest and public protests in Iran by security commanders.

Gheybparvar (Gheibparvar) was the commander of the IRGC-linked militia Bassij which is mainly tasked to suppress dissent.

In July this year, Iran's Supreme Leader replaced Gheybparvar with Gholamreza Soleimani as the new Basij (Baseej) Commander.

Naming Gheybparvar as his deputy on Saturday September 7, Salami said Khamenei has expressed appreciation for Gheybparvar's performance.

Earlier, Gheybparavar was criticized for masterminding an attack on outspoken lawmaker Ali Motahari in Shiraz in 2017.

In his new post, Gheybparvar will be the commander of Imam Ali Central Security Headquarters, a unit tasked in 2011 with confronting public protests and riots. The HQ was set up in the aftermath of massive unrests in Iran after the disputed 2009 Presidential elections that were challenged by opposition and millions of people as rigged to re-elect ultraconservative President Mahmud Ahmadinejad for a second term.