As the Iran Israel war reaches news heights, fresh reports suggest that the Iranian Defence Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and IRGC Commander Mohammed Pakpour were killed in missile strikes during Israeli aggression. Reuters reported that the Defence Minister and IRGC Commander lost their lives, but no official statement has been provided by the Iranian government yet.
Amir (Aziz) Nasirzadeh is a senior Iranian military officer. He has been Iran's Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics since August 2024 under President Masoud Pezeshkian.
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Military background and career
Nasirzadeh is a Brigadier General in Iran's armed forces and has been a prominent figure in the country's military for many years. He was born in Sarab in East Azerbaijan province in 1964. He joined the military shortly after the Iranian Revolution and became a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War.
He trained as an F-14 fighter pilot and later advanced in the Iranian Air Force. From 2018 to 2021, he served as Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, one of the country's top military positions.
From 2021 to 2024, Nasirzadeh was the Deputy Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces. In that role, he oversaw strategic military coordination before being promoted to Defence Minister, reported Newsweek.
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Role as Defence Minister
As Defence Minister, Nasirzadeh participated in national security planning. He chaired Iran's National Organization for Passive Defense, which protects critical civilian, military, and nuclear infrastructure from external threats. He also contributed to defence cooperation initiatives and regional military efforts to strengthen Iran's strategic position.
Several high-ranking Iranian officials and military leaders were reportedly targeted in the operation, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian. There has been no official confirmation about their status.
