A full slate of six top military command appointments was announced Monday evening by Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, according to reports from Abu Ali Express. The list includes the formal confirmation of Ahmad Vahidi as IRGC commander, the appointment of Ali Abdollahi as chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, and Kiyomarth Heydari as his deputy — a new role not included in earlier reports.
Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, announced a full slate of six senior military command appointments on Monday evening, according to a report from Abu Ali Express. The list confirms the formal appointment of Ahmad Vahidi as IRGC commander, Ali Abdollahi as chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, and includes a new role — Kiyomarth Heydari as deputy chief of the General Staff, completing the six appointments. The announcement comes just minutes after The Zioneer reported on the initial wave of command changes.
As The Zioneer reported on Monday at 18:38 Jerusalem, initial reports from Asaf Rozentzweig (N12) stated that Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, had been appointed as commander of Iran's armed forces, replacing Abdolrahim Mousavi who was killed in the war. Within the same minute, The Zioneer carried reports from Iranian state media detailing the formal confirmation of Ahmad Vahidi as IRGC commander, along with appointments for Mustafa Izadi as deputy IRGC commander, Ali Abdollahi as chief of staff of the Iranian Army, Hossein Taib as commander of the Basij forces, and Ali Azmayi as IRGC Navy commander. The reporting evolved from a single source (N12) to multiple Iranian state media channels, corroborating the scope of the reshuffle. The new Abu Ali Express report now specifies that Abdollahi's role is chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, with Heydari as his deputy, adding a position not mentioned in earlier reports.
The reshuffle marks a significant step in Mojtaba Khamenei's consolidation of military command since succeeding his father Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader. The appointments cover the key branches of Iran's dual military structure: the IRGC, the regular armed forces, and the Basij militia. As The Zioneer reported on August 1, Iran's armed forces were placed on the highest alert and moved to wartime protocols amid regional tensions. The appointments follow a period of transition following the death of Ali Khamenei in June, which saw the IRGC commander emerge from bunkers for the first time since Operation Roaring Lion, as The Zioneer reported on July 2.
The exact reasons for the creation of the deputy chief of staff role and the broader strategic implications of the command structure remain unclear at this stage. It is also not yet known whether additional command changes are expected.
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