Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, on Friday, June 13, 2025, appointed new military commanders following the deaths of key security officials in Israeli airstrikes on Tehran.
The appointments come after Israel launched a wave of airstrikes targeting Tehran and other Iranian cities on Friday morning.
The strikes killed Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Hossein Salami, and Gholam-Ali Rashid, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
Khamenei named Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new chief of staff of the armed forces, Mohammad Pakpour as the IRGC’s new commander, and Ali Shadmani to lead the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
Global oil prices soar after Israeli strike on Iran
Before their appointments, Mousavi headed the regular army, Pakpour commanded the IRGC’s Ground Force, and Shadmani served as deputy coordinator at Khatam al-Anbiya.
In addition to the top military leaders, the Israeli strikes also killed six Iranian nuclear scientists, including Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, as well as an unspecified number of civilians, local media reported.
In a statement, Khamenei condemned the attacks, warning that Israel would face “severe punishment” for what he called a crime against Iran.
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