Full List of Iranian Powerful Leaders Eliminated by Israel and US Since the War Started
- Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been reported killed in a joint US–Israeli strike, prompting the establishment of an emergency leadership council
- The Supreme National Security Council Head, Major General Ali Larijani, had been eliminated in an airstrike, dealing a major setback to Iran’s security command structure
- The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, along with the IRGC Commander-in-Chief, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, had been killed in coordinated attacks, significantly weakening Iran’s military hierarchy
Iranian and international sources have confirmed that a string of high-level Iranian figures were killed in recent US and Israeli strikes.
State media and officials report that several senior commanders and political leaders were “eliminated” in coordinated attacks, further roiling Tehran.
Source: Getty Images
Here are the key names and roles of those confirmed dead, with excerpts from official statements and news reports.
1. Ali Khamenei - Iran’s supreme leader
Iran’s longtime supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on February 28 in a joint US-Israeli strike on Tehran. State broadcaster IRIB announced Khamenei had “reached martyrdom” in the attack.
President Masoud Pezeshkian denounced the assassination as an “open declaration of war against Muslims”, saying the loss of Iran’s “general guide” was a historic trial for the Islamic world. Khamenei’s death – along with close family members – has left Iran with an emergency leadership council in place while his successor is chosen.
2. Ali Larijani - head of Supreme National Security Council
Major General Ali Larijani, who led Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was killed in an Israeli airstrike on 18 March 2026.
Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said Larijani had been “eliminated” in the overnight raid. Larijani was one of the few senior regime insiders still at large after Khamenei’s death. He was widely regarded as a savvy strategist and negotiator close to Khamenei’s late son. Iran’s government confirmed Larijani and his son were killed together in the attack.
His death is seen as a major blow to Iran’s security leadership and could harden Tehran’s resolve in the conflict.
3. Ali Shamkhani - defence council secretary and senior adviser
General Ali Shamkhani, a veteran commander and long-time security adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei, was killed in the February 28 strikes. He served as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and headed the post-war Defence Council. Israel’s military confirmed Shamkhani’s death along with other top generals.
Shamkhani was a former IRGC naval commander and at one time led Iran’s armed forces; he was also instrumental in nuclear negotiations. His assassination removes one of Khamenei’s closest confidants and a key coordinator of Iran’s defence policy.
4. Mohammad Pakpour - IRGC commander-in-chief
Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, who had just been appointed commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in the same early-morning strikes. The IDF identified him as the IRGC leader responsible for missile and drone operations against Israel.
Pakpour, a career Guard officer, previously led the IRGC ground forces for over a decade and oversaw Iran’s major proxy operations. His death cuts off another pillar of Iran’s military command and leaves the elite IRGC leaderless at its highest level.
5. Aziz Nasirzadeh - defence minister
General Aziz Nasirzadeh, who served as Iran’s defence minister, was also slain in the strikes. Former IRGC air force commander, Nasirzadeh was credited with safeguarding Iran’s missile and nuclear infrastructure during the conflict.
Source: Getty Images
Israeli sources said he “was responsible for industries producing long-range missiles and weapons transferred to regime proxies”. Nasirzadeh’s removal – after rumors of his death in earlier rounds of fighting, is a significant blow to Iran’s military leadership. He had previously warned that any attack on Iran would put US bases “within our reach”.
6. Abdolrahim Mousavi - chief of staff of armed forces
Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, was killed in the February 28 attacks. Iran’s official media reported Mousavi had been among roughly 30 regime leaders targeted by the strikes. Iranian state TV announced that “the country’s armed forces chief of staff Abdolrahim Mousavi was killed in strikes on Iran”.
Mousavi, a veteran army commander, had been promoted by Khamenei just weeks before the war. He was known for expanding Iran’s missile, drone and space capabilities. Iran’s military command will now have to fill a critical vacuum in coordinating between the army and the IRGC.
7. Mohammad Shirazi - head of Khamenei’s military bureau
Major General Mohammad Shirazi, who for decades headed the Supreme Leader’s military office, was also eliminated. The Israeli military said Shirazi was killed in the strike as part of its targeting of Iran’s command network.
Shirazi was the “liaison between senior armed forces commanders and the leader” and a central figure in Iran’s defence hierarchy. His death severs one of the key links connecting the Supreme Leader to the armed forces, potentially disrupting strategic coordination at the highest level.
8. Saleh Asadi - senior intelligence officer
Brigadier General Saleh Asadi, a senior military intelligence official, was among those killed. Asadi was the head of intelligence in Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff Emergency Headquarters.
According to Israeli reports, he had helped shape Iran’s operational plans against the US and Israel. His assassination, confirmed by IDF statements, weakens the intelligence apparatus that underpins Iran’s war efforts. There has been no official comment from Tehran on Asadi’s death, but his role made him a key target for the allied strikes.
9. Hassan (Hossein) Jabal-Amelian - head of advanced weapons programme
Dr. Hassan Jabal-Amelian, who chaired Iran’s SPND defence technology agency, was also said to have been killed. SPND is responsible for developing advanced weapons, including nuclear, biological and chemical projects. Israeli sources described him as the chief of “advanced weapons programmes”.
While Iran has not publicly confirmed his death, the IDF listed him among the eliminated officials. Jabal-Amelian’s death, if verified, would represent a loss of significant expertise in Iran’s strategic weapons development.
10. Gholamreza Soleimani - Basij paramilitary commander
Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij volunteer militia, was killed in a strike on March 17, 2026, according to Iranian media. The IRGC confirmed Soleimani’s death and said he was killed in an “attack by the American-Zionist enemy”.
The Israeli military also asserted that it had “targeted and eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who operated as commander of the Basij unit for the past six years”.
Soleimani had led the Basij’s domestic security operations, including suppressing protests. His assassination removes a key enforcer of internal security and is the latest in a series of decapltation strikes against Iran’s command structure.
11. Masoud Pezeshkian - Intelligence Minister
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has confirmed that Israel killed the country’s Intelligence Minister, Esmail Khatib, in an overnight strike, marking the third assassination of a senior Iranian official within 48 hours.
Iran Supreme leader appoints new military adviser
Previously, Legit.ng reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has appointed former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezaei as his military adviser, according to Iranian state-linked media.
The announcement was reported by Mehr News Agency, which stated that Mojtaba Khamenei had approved the appointment.
Source: Legit.ng
