ISTANBUL

Following Israel's deadly Friday assault on Iran that killed its top commanders and high-ranking army officers, Tehran moved quickly to appoint new leaders to key military positions.

Israeli forces attacked Iran's nuclear and missile facilities, and also killed the country's leading scientists besides others as attacks continued for a second day.

Among the deceased were Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, military chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, Hossein Salami, who served as the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp IRGC, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who was the commander of the IRGC Aerospace Forces, and Gholam Ali Rashid, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.

Iran responded with missiles Friday night, targeting several areas across Israel and killing at least three people.

Iran's new army chief

Iranian media Tehran Times reported that Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami was appointed the country's new army chief.

Hatami, who served as Iran’s defense minister from 2013 to 2021, was appointed commander of the army by a decree of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Khamenei cited Hatami’s "dedication, competence, and experience" as the basis for the appointment, calling for a “transformative and revolutionary approach” under his leadership.

Chief of staff

In the wake of Gen. Bagheri 's assassination, Khamenei appointed Maj. Gen. Seyyed Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces.

Mousavi has served as the commander-in-chief of the Iranian army since 2017.

He was appointed as a commander of the Khatam al-Anbia Air Defense Base in 2019, as he continues to serve as the army’s top commander.

Born in 1960 in central Iran, Mousavi holds a doctorate in defense studies, and joined the army in 1979.

Iranian media also reported that Maj. Gen. Ali Shademani was appointed the new commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters, succeeding Commander Ali Rashid, who was killed in the Israeli attacks.

Commander-in-chief

Mohammad Pakpour was appointed as the new permanent chief commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC), local media reported.

Pakpour’s appointment came after the interim assignment of Ahmad Vahidi, following the assassination of Salami.

Pakpour also fought in the Iran-Iraq war. In 2009, he was appointed commander of the IRGC Ground Forces. In 2021, he was sanctioned by the European Union.

Aerospace commander

Khamenei also appointed Majid Mousavi the new head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ air force.

According to Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency, Mousavi is to replace Hajizadeh as commander.