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Mohammad Pakpour

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Sardar
Mohammad Pakpour
محمد پاکپور
Pakpour in 2016
Commander of the IRGC
In office
13 June 2025 – 28 February 2026
PresidentMasoud Pezeshkian
Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei
Preceded byHossein Salami
Succeeded byAhmad Vahidi
Personal details
Born2 June 1961
Arak, Iran
Died (aged 64)
Tehran, Iran
Manner of deathAssassination by airstrike
Awards Order of Fath
(1st class)
Military service
Allegiance Iran
Branch IRGC
Service years1979–2026
Rank Major general
Commands IRGC
 IRGC Ground Forces
Battles/wars

Mohammad Pakpour (Persian: محمد پاکپور;‎ 2 June 1961 – 28 February 2026) was an Iranian military officer who served as the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from 2025 until his death in 2026.[1][2] He had previously served as head of IRGC Ground Forces. On 13 June 2025, he was appointed head of the IRGC following the death of his predecessor, Hossein Salami, in the Twelve-Day War.[3] Pakpour was succeeded as commander of the Ground Forces by Mohammad Karami. On 28 February 2026, Israeli forces announced that he had been killed in the 2026 Iran war.[4][5][6][7] Iranian state media IRNA later confirmed it.[8][2]

Military career

[edit]
Clockwise from the top
  • Pakpour in 2016 speaking to the Iranian press
  • Pakpour at the 2022 IRGC Ground Forces exercise in Aras region
  • Pakpour (center, holding a rifle), after special forces killed the ISIS perpetrators of the 2017 Tehran attacks.

Pakpour joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the wake of the Iranian Revolution in 1979. He served during the 1979 Kurdish rebellion in Iran and the eight-year-long Iran–Iraq War. His responsibilities included five years of Army Operations Command, commander of the 8th Najaf Division, commander of 31st Ashura Division of Command chief Army's Northern Command headquarters. Among his duties were fighting terrorism in northwest Iran, establishing security in southeast Iran, and overseeing specialized exercises.[9][10]

According to Pakpour, the IRGC seeks to promote the security of the region through new military tactics.[11]

He believed that drones like Hemaseh help to keep the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on their toes and shows the consistency and preparedness of the force.[12]

In 2017, commandos of Iran's elite Saberin Unit special forces, under Pakpour's direct command, were responsible for neutralizing ISIS terrorists during the 2017 Tehran attacks.[13]

Participation in Third Battle of Fallujah

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Mohammad Pakpour was pictured alongside Qasem Soleimani directing the IRGC forces in the Third Battle of Fallujah against the Islamic State. It is believed to be the first time he was seen directing operations in either Iraq or Syria. According to The Long War Journal, "His presence in Fallujah underscores the importance of operations in Iraq to the IRGC’s leadership".[14]

Sanctions

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On 24 June 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned him, freezing any of his U.S. assets and banning U.S. persons from doing business with him.[15] He was also sanctioned by the European Union, Australia, Japan, and Canada for his involvement with the IRGC and its wider operations. Although these sanctions were temporarily lifted following the 2015 nuclear agreement, they were reinstated after the United States withdrew from the deal.[16]

Death

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On 28 February 2026, the Israel Defense Forces announced that Pakpour had been killed in the 2026 Iran war.[5][6][7] This was later confirmed by Iranian state media IRNA.[17][2]

References

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  1. ^ mehrnews. Sardar Mohammad Pakpur. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Habibiazad, Ghoncheh (28 February 2026). "Iranian outlet confirms the death of two senior commanders". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  3. ^ "Israel launches strikes against Iran nuclear and military facilities". France 24. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025. In separate decrees, Khamenei named Mohammad Pakpour to replace Hossein Salami as commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Abdolrahim Mousavi to replace Mohammad Bagheri as chief of the armed forces general staff.
  4. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (28 February 2026). "IDF confirms killing top Iranian leaders, including top defense official Ali Shamkhani" – via www.timesofisrael.com.
  5. ^ a b "Top Iran IRGC Commander Mohammad Pakpour Killed In Strikes: Israel". NDTV News Desk. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b ELINT News [@ELINTNews] (28 February 2026). "#BREAKING: @AmitSegal reports the assessments in Israel is that there is a "a good chance" that Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Khamenei and the official responsible for the nuclear program, has been killed in strikes" (Tweet). Retrieved 28 February 2026 – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ a b "@AmitSegal reports the assessments in Israel is that there is a "a good chance" that Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Khamenei and the official responsible for the nuclear program, has been killed in strikes". Liveuamap. 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Iran confirms killings of IRGC chief Pakpour, Ali Shamkhani". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  9. ^ asriran. Part of the new commander of land force records.
  10. ^ farsnews. Guards practical details on destruction of a terrorist squad in South East of Iran. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  11. ^ "Le CGRI de l'Iran mènera des exercices militaires dans les jours à venir (TV)". China Radio International (in French). Archived from the original on 23 April 2016.
  12. ^ Iranian Guards Corps Debuts 'Hamasseh' Drone
  13. ^ "IRGC Special Forces Corps timely action/ How the terrorists were killed by IRGC raid". Tasnim News Agency. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  14. ^ http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/06/irgc-ground-forces-commander-spotted-in-fallujah.php [bare URL]
  15. ^ "Issuance of Executive Order of June 24, 2019, "Imposing Sanctions with Respect to Iran;" Iran-related Designations; Counter Terrorism Designations". U.S. Department of the Treasury. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  16. ^ "Who Is Mohammad Pakpour, Iran's New Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?". This is Beirut. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  17. ^ "Iran confirms killings of IRGC chief Pakpour, Ali Shamkhani". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
[edit]
  • Media related to Mohammad Pakpour at Wikimedia Commons
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