Iran supreme leader names new military chief, Guards commander

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has appointed Ali Abdollahi as the new head of the country's armed forces, while also confirming a new commander for the Revolutionary Guards, according to a statement on Khamenei's website. Abdollahi, who previously led the Khatam al-Anbiya, Iran's inter-branch central military command responsible for coordinating operations, was appointed chief of staff of the armed forces.

Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi was designated as the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also holding the rank of major general. The two appointments mark Khamenei's first senior military positions since assuming the role of supreme leader in the Middle East conflict following his father's death in US-Israeli strikes.

Abdollahi has previously issued aggressive statements warning regional neighbors that any country providing a defensive shield for America will be engulfed by war. All rights reserved. This content, as well as other digital materials on the website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in any form without prior express written permission from PUNCH.