Mogadishu (LM) The official IRNA agency says the Iranian army’s chief of staff, Abdul Rahim Mousavi, and Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh were killed in the US-Israeli attacks on Iran on Saturday.
As we’ve been reporting, Iran has also confirmed the killing of Khamenei and his security adviser, Ali Shamkhani, as well as IRGC commander-in-chief Mohammad Pakpour.
IRNA said more commanders of the armed forces were also killed and that their names will be announced later. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed on the first day of massive US and Israeli air strikes on Iran, US President Donald Trump has also announced.
The death of the 86-year-old leader, who ruled Iran for more than three decades, was later confirmed by Iranian state television. Khamenei had been one of the longest-serving leaders in the world.
Iran has had only two supreme leaders since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The position is the most powerful office in the country, serving as head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, including the elite Revolutionary Guards.
Although not considered an outright dictator, Khamenei stood at the center of a complex political system. He had the authority to veto public policy decisions and handpick candidates for public office.
For many young Iranians, life under Khamenei’s leadership was the only reality they had known. State television closely followed his activities, his image appeared widely on public billboards, and his photograph was commonly displayed in shops.
While Iranian presidents often represented the country abroad, it was widely understood domestically that Khamenei held ultimate authority behind the scenes.
His death under violent circumstances signals a period of deep uncertainty for Iran and the broader region.
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