List of Iranian Leaders Killed in the War Against the US and Israel
Amid the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran on Monday (15/6/2026), the world is looking back at the scale of leadership destruction in Tehran. During the US-Israel war against Iran, waves of airstrikes wiped out the entire elite political and military echelon of the Islamic Republic.
Although President Donald Trump claimed in March that the military strikes had achieved regime change, Iran has shown resilience by quickly replacing its fallen leaders. Here is a recap of key Iranian figures killed in the conflict.
Ali Khamenei
Iran’s number one figure since 1989 was killed in the first hours of the war, on 28 February, in an airstrike targeting a meeting of senior officials in Tehran. The attack also killed his daughter-in-law, daughter, and at least one grandchild. His son, Mojtaba, reportedly survived with injuries and has now assumed the position of Supreme Leader, though he has yet to appear in public. Khamenei’s funeral is scheduled for 9 July in Mashhad.
Ali Larijani
A pillar of Iran’s governance system for decades, Larijani was killed on 17 March in an Israeli strike in the Tehran area. His death is considered the greatest loss for the Islamic Republic after that of Ali Khamenei. Just a week before his death, he was seen walking in public at a pro-government rally.
Mohammad Pakpour
Pakpour had just been appointed as the IRGC’s supreme commander in June 2025, replacing Hossein Salami. He was killed on the first day of the war and his position has since been filled by former Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi.
Alireza Tangsiri
A veteran of the Iran-Iraq War, Tangsiri was the figure most responsible for operations in the Strait of Hormuz. Israel identified him as the key figure behind the mining and blockading of the vital shipping lane before he was killed in an airstrike.
Ali Shamkhani
A veteran of the armed forces since the 1980s, Shamkhani was killed on the first day of the war. He had previously been reported dead during the June 2025 conflict but was only seriously injured, before ultimately being killed in this wave of attacks.
Esmaeil Khatib
Khatib was killed in an Israeli strike in Tehran in the early hours of 18 March. Serving as intelligence minister since 2021, he was a controversial figure accused by human rights groups of playing a major role in the suppression of domestic protests.
Aziz Nasirzadeh
Nasirzadeh, who had served as Defence Minister since 2024, was also among those killed in the wave of airstrikes on the first day of the war.
Gholamreza Soleimani
The head of the Basij volunteer paramilitary group was killed on 17 March. The Basij is known as the IRGC’s most hardline wing in handling domestic demonstrations.
Mohammad Naini
Naini was killed in March in what the IRGC described as a cowardly attack by the US and Israel. Shortly before his death was confirmed, he had stated that Iran’s missile production was continuing perfectly despite the war.