Newsinc24 Team 
Ahmad Vahidi has been named Iran's Revolutionary Guards Commander-in-Chief, Iranian media reported on Sunday.The announcement came hours after the killing of IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in what Iran says were joint strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.
Iran appointed Ahmad Vahidi, a former defense and interior minister, as the new commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Sunday, state media reported on Sunday.
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) March 1, 2026
Vahidi is under US sanctions for his role in Iran’s suppression of protests, including the use of lethal… pic.twitter.com/uHqp0clcdx
Vahidi, a veteran military officer who previously served as Iran’s Defence Minister and Interior Minister, had been acting as interim chief of the IRGC for the past six months. He was formally declared Commander-in-Chief on Sunday, according to Iranian state media. He had earlier been appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief after Pakpour took charge last year following the death of former IRGC chief Hossein Salami in an Israeli airstrike.The latest escalation follows a large-scale military operation launched on Saturday by the United States and Israel, reportedly codenamed “Operation Epic Fury” by Washington and “Operation Roar of the Lion” by Israel. The strikes targeted several Iranian military installations, government offices and senior leadership locations, including the office of Khamenei, who had led Iran since 1989. The 86-year-old leader was reported killed in the coordinated assault.
In a strongly worded statement, the IRGC vowed revenge, warning that the “murderers of Khamenei” would face what it described as the “most ferocious offensive operation in history.” The statement accused the United States and Israel of committing a “criminal and terrorist act” and said the Iranian armed forces and the Basij would continue defending the country against internal and external threats.Iran’s Cabinet also issued a stern warning, declaring that the “great crime will never go unanswered,” signalling potential retaliation against both Washington and Tel Aviv. The statement marked Tehran’s most unified response yet to the assassination of its top leadership.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned Iran against escalating further. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed Iran intended to “hit very hard today” and cautioned that any such move would be met with unprecedented force.Reports from international news agencies said explosions were heard in Doha and Dubai on Sunday as Iran launched a fresh wave of strikes targeting US and Israeli military bases in the region, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
