Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei merged the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters and the Armed Forces Headquarters into a single command body, according to Abu Ali Express. The structural change places Ali Abdollahi—previously head of Khatam al-Anbiya—as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
In a further consolidation of Iran's military command, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei merged the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters and the Armed Forces Headquarters into a single command body, according to Abu Ali Express. The structural change places Ali Abdollahi—who earlier Monday evening was appointed commander of the armed forces—in the role of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, effectively centralizing operational authority under a single leadership. The merger was reported minutes after the confirmation of Abdollahi's appointment, signaling a rapid reorganization of the top command echelon amid the ongoing direct conflict with Israel.
Earlier Monday evening (18:45 Jerusalem), Israeli media outlet N12's intelligence correspondent Asaf Rozentzweig first reported that Khamenei appointed Abdollahi, previously commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, to lead the armed forces. Within the same hour, reports confirmed that Abdollahi replaces Abdolrahim Mousavi, who was killed during the war. The source chain evolved from a single journalist report to broader confirmation across Israeli and Iranian-affiliated channels.
As The Zioneer has reported, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters is Iran's supreme unified command structure, responsible for synchronizing operations between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular army (Artesh). The headquarters has been at the center of Iran's operational messaging during the conflict, including threats against Israel and claims of retaliatory strikes. The merger of the two command bodies further streamlines decision-making at a time of heightened direct kinetic exchanges.
The full scope and operational implications of the restructuring remain to be clarified. It is not yet known how the merger will affect the command chains for ongoing operations, nor whether additional personnel changes are expected.
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