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Hours after the assassination of three senior Iranian military commanders in Israeli strikes, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday appointed new army leaders to oversee the country’s forces.
According to a Tehran Times report, Major General Seyyed Abdolrahim Mousavi has been named Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Ali Shadmani has been appointed Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Major General Mohammad Pakpour is now Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The appointments come in the wake of what Iranian authorities have called “honorable martyrdoms” of General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, General Gholamali Rashid, and General Hossein Salami, added the report.
In his decree, Khamenei described Bagheri’s martyrdom at the hands of the “malicious Zionist regime” as an honorable martyrdom and praised Mousavi’s qualifications and prior service.
He called for increased vigilance and preparedness across all branches of Iran’s armed forces, including the Basij militia. He emphasized the need for “revolutionary action” in facing external threats and maintaining national security.
He also prayed for the elevation of the martyr’s spiritual rank and his companionship with the saints, especially Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
Similarly, in appointing Shadmani to lead the Khatam al-Anbiya Central HQ, in place of martyred General Gholamali Rashid, Khamenei cited his leadership credentials and tasked him with enhancing strategic coordination, particularly in evaluating the combat readiness of the armed forces in cooperation with the General Staff.
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View AllHe also prayed for the exaltation of the martyred commander’s rank and his union with divine figures.
General Pakpour, formerly a key commander within the IRGC Ground Forces, was selected to replace the martyred General Salami. In his statement, the Supreme Leader stressed the importance of balancing military capability with spiritual and cultural strength in the IRGC’s leadership and operations.
As in the other decrees, Khamenei prayed for the elevation of Salami’s soul and his companionship with Imam Ali and other saints, and wished success for Pakpour and his colleagues.
With inputs from agencies
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