The US and Israel have assassinated several prominent Iranian leaders and political figures since tensions between the countries escalated in 2025. Among those killed in Iran was also its former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
As of now, an interim leadership council is governing the Islamic Republic.
Here are 10 prominent leadership figures who were assassinated since 2025:
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei has been the ruler of the West Asian country since 1989. His death was confirmed by Iranian state television after a joint Israeli-US strike on his residence on February 28.
He had previously served as the president of the country for nearly eight years and served in several senior defence roles. He also played a huge role in the formation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s elite military force that is responsible for its security and defence.
Ali Shamkhani
Shamkhani was the secretary of Iran’s defence council. The 70-year-old was also a close advisor to Khamenei and oversaw the negotiations between The United States and Iran over the Iranian nuclear programme.
Shamkhani was also targeted in an Israeli strike in June 2025 during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel. He was initially reported dead but was pulled out of the rubble of his home, sustaining severe injuries.
He also led the Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) from 1979, after the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s government was overthown till 2023.
Gen. Mohammad Pakpour
Mohammad Pakpour was the the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, making him one of the highest-ranking figures to be killed in the February 28 strikes.
He was appointed as the head of the IRGC after his predecessor Hossein Salami was killed in June last year. He had joined the IRGC’s ground forces in 2009 and had previously served as part of the Quds Force. He was also part of the operations against militant groups in the Kurdistan region.
Aziz Nasirzadeh
Nasirzadeh was believed to be responsible for facilities producing long-range missiles and for systems transferred to Iran’s regional proxy forces. He previously served as commander of the Iranian Air Force and as deputy chief of staff of the armed forces.
He also reportedly supervised the Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), which advances projects in nuclear, biological and chemical domains.
Abdolrahim Mousavi
Mousavi was the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces. He was appointed to the post by Khamenei.
He was previously the commander-in-chief of the Iranian army from 2017 to 2025.
His death, alongside that of Nasirzadeh, removed two of the most senior operational figures responsible for Iran’s military planning and defence.
Hossein Salami
Hossein Salami was the former Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC. He was killed on June 13, 2025, during the large-scale Israeli “Operation Rising Lion” which targeted the IRGC headquarters in Tehran.
General Mohammed Bagheri
Mohammad Bagheri was the former Chief of Staff for the Iranian Armed Forces, and the country highest ranking military officer. He was also killed on June 13, 2025.
Bagheri had been put under multiple sanctions by both the US and the European Union.
General Gholamali Rashid
Gholamali Rashid, the former head of the Khatam Al-Anbia Central Command Headquarters was killed in Israel’s ‘Operation Rising Lion’ on June 13, 2025.
He was responsible for planning and coordinating joint military operations among the country’s armed forces.
General Amir Ali Hajizadeh
Amir Ali Hajizadeh led the IRGC Aerospace Force from 2009 until his death on June 13, 2025 and oversaw the country’s entire ballistic missile and drone programmes.
Hajizadeh was a key figure who led and executed the April 2024 Iranian airstrikes against Israel and the October 22024 airstrikes.
General Mehdi Rabbani
Mehdi Rabbani was the Deputy of Operations of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, and was killed in Israeli airstrikes on June 13, 2025.
He was previously the deputy for operations for the IRGC from 2011 to 2016, after which he was appointed to his DoO post.
Rabbani was a key architect of Iran’s internal and regional military strategies, including oversight of militia networks in Syria.
