Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Friday appointed Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour as the new commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This appointment follows the demise of General Hossein Salami in recent Israeli airstrikes.
The announcement was made via a formal decree issued by the Supreme Leader’s office and disseminated through state media. This development occurs amidst escalating regional tensions, precipitated by Israel’s extensive aerial offensive that targeted numerous military and nuclear sites within Iran, reportedly resulting in the deaths of senior commanders and scientists.
General Pakpour previously held the position of commander of the IRGC Ground Forces and is recognized as a seasoned military strategist with strong connections to the IRGC’s Quds Force. He is noted for his operational involvement in Iran’s regional military policies, particularly in Syria and Iraq.
“Given your commitment, experience, and understanding of the strategic needs of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, I hereby appoint you as the new Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated in the official announcement.
This decision comes less than 24 hours after Iranian state media confirmed the martyrdom of General Hossein Salami, who had led the elite force since 2019 and was widely considered a symbol of Iran’s military resistance doctrine. Salami’s death, alongside other high-ranking officials including Major General Gholamali Rashid and nuclear scientist Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi, marks one of the most severe blows to Iran’s security apparatus in recent memory.
