Mohammad Shirazi (general)
Mohammad Shirazi | |
|---|---|
Shirazi in 2019 | |
| Native name | محمد شیرازی |
| Died | 28 February 2026 Tehran, Iran |
| Allegiance | Iran |
| Branch | Islamic Republic of Iran Army |
| Rank | Brigadier general |
| Commands | Head of the Military Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran |
| Conflicts | 2026 Iran war X |
Mohammad Shirazi (Persian: محمد شیرازی; died 28 February 2026) was an Iranian military general who served as the head of the Military Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran from 1989 until his death in 2026. As a brigadier general, he was responsible for coordinating relations between senior commanders of Iran's armed forces and the supreme leader, acting as a key liaison in the country's defense and security apparatus. Shirazi was killed during the opening strikes of the 2026 Iran war.
Career
Shirazi held the position of head of the Military Office within the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran starting in 1989.[1][2] In this role, he facilitated communication and coordination between the top echelons of Iran's military, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the regular armed forces, and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.[3] Analysts described him as a central figure in Iran's security decision-making process.[4] Shirazi as a shadowy "gatekeeper" who played a central role in maintaining the Supreme Leader's absolute grip on power. As the primary liaison between the military and the Supreme Leader, he was frequently accused of bypassing traditional government oversight to execute hardline security policies that suppressed domestic dissent. Outside of this article's scope, opposition figures have pointed to his influence in the selection of radical military commanders and his involvement in the strategic planning of proxy conflicts across the Middle East, which led to international sanctions and increased regional instability. Furthermore, his office was often criticized for its lack of transparency, acting as a "black box" where critical national security decisions were made without public accountability or legislative review.
Assassination
Shirazi was killed on 28 February 2026, during coordinated airstrikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian leadership targets in Tehran.[5][6] The strikes targeted a gathering of senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.[7][8] His death was part of a broader operation that eliminated approximately 40 high-ranking Iranian figures, contributing to a leadership crisis in the country.[9] His successor, Abolghasem Babaeian, who also was the chief of staff at the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, was assassinated by Israel 8 days later.[10]
See also
- Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran
- 2026 Iran war
- List of Iranian officials killed during the 2026 Iran war
References
- ^ "Israeli military lists senior Iranian officials killed in airstrikes". Iran International. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "IDF confirms Iranian defense minister, IRGC chief among officials killed in opening strike". Ynetnews. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "IDF confirms killing top Iranian leaders, including top defense official Ali Shamkhani". The Times of Israel. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "The US and Israel have struck Iran: Who has been killed?". ABC News. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "Live updates: Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is dead". NBC News. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "Dozens of top Iranian regime officials, supreme leader killed in Israeli strikes". Fox News. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "The C.I.A. Helped Pinpoint a Gathering of Iranian Leaders. Then Israel Struck". The New York Times. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "Israeli Army: Senior Iranian security officials killed in Tehran strikes". Shafaq News. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "Israeli military lists senior Iranian officials killed in airstrikes". Iran International. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (8 March 2026). "IDF confirms killing supreme leader's military secretary based on 'real-time emerging intel'". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 8 March 2026.