Iran’s Chief of Staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi, was reportedly k!lled in a new round of airstrikes carried out by United States and Israeli forces, Iranian state television said on Sunday.
The reported de@th of Mousavi, a central figure in Iran’s military command structure, marks another significant blow to the country’s defence hierarchy.
The development comes barely 24 hours after the confirmed k!lling of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, during coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.
Analysts say the successive targeting of Iran’s top leadership could have far-reaching implications for the country’s command structure and the broader Middle East.
Security experts have warned that the loss of senior military figures in quick succession may trigger shifts in Iran’s strategic posture and intensify regional instability.
United States President, Donald Trump, has indicated that military operations against Iran’s leadership will continue.
According to reports, Trump signalled that strikes would persist until Iran’s top military command is fully neutralised, underscoring the likelihood of sustained tensions in the region.
In a related development, Iran is set to fill the vacuum left by the de@th of Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly k!lled in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike.
According to The Guardian UK, a temporary leadership arrangement has been outlined to guide the country during the transition. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and another senior legal official are expected to oversee state affairs in the interim period.
At the same time, Iranian state television has identified Mohammad Mokhber as the man chosen to succeed Khamenei. Mokhber, a long-time aide and adviser to the late leader, previously served as acting president after the sudden de@th of former President Ebrahim Raisi in 2024. He also held the position of First Vice President between 2021 and 2024.
