Iran's state news agency is reporting that the country's supreme leader has named several new military commanders, including a new head of the militia force at the center of the postelection crackdown. The forces of the Basij militia were blamed for much of the violence against crowds protesting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed June 12 reelection. The IRNA news agency says Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei replaced Basij commander Hossein Taeb Sunday and announced two other new military appointments. Taeb was replaced with Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a prominent figure in the Revolutionary Guard who is close to Khamenei. Opposition groups say at least 72 protesters were killed in the unrest. The government says 36 died.
