Iran has appointed Ahmad Vahidi as the new commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The appointment follows confirmation by Iran’s state news agency IRNA that the previous commander-in-chief, Mohammad Pakpour, was killed in an attack attributed to the United States and Israel.

The IRGC functions as Iran’s main military, political, and economic force, operating separately from the country’s regular army. Established about 45 years ago to safeguard the Islamic Revolution, the corps has grown into one of the most powerful paramilitary organizations in the Middle East. It maintains its own ground, air, and naval units and oversees Iran’s strategic weapons.

The leadership change comes amid heightened regional tensions, as reports also mention the deaths of 30 senior Iranian officials in the same attack claimed by Israel.