Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appointed new military commanders on Friday following the deaths of key security officials in Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, according to local media reports.
The appointments come in the wake of a series of airstrikes launched by Israel early Friday, targeting Tehran and other Iranian cities. The strikes resulted in the deaths of several high-ranking military officials, including 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.
In response, Khamenei named Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new chief of staff of the armed forces, Mohammad Pakpour as the new commander of the IRGC, and Ali Shadmani to lead the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. Prior to their new roles, Mousavi was in charge of the regular army, Pakpour commanded the IRGC’s Ground Force, and Shadmani served as deputy coordinator at Khatam al-Anbiya.
The Israeli strikes also reportedly resulted in the deaths of six Iranian nuclear scientists, including Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, along with an unspecified number of civilians.
In a statement, Khamenei condemned the attacks, warning that Israel would face “severe punishment” for what he described as a crime against Iran. (Xinhua/NAN)
