Who’s who in Iran? Guide to the Islamic Republic’s new leaders

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The US and Israeli war in Iran has targeted the Islamic Republic’s most senior leaders and mobilised every branch of its sprawling state apparatus in a fight for survival.

Power in the country is carefully distributed among a series of councils, commanders, clerics and civilians. Some are elected, some appointed, but all must jostle for influence under the leader’s oversight.

A number of key players have been killed in air strikes, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his national security chief Ali Larijani and several top advisers, as well as the defence and intelligence ministers.

The armed forces chief-of-staff and head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have also been eliminated, along with the leader of the Basij paramilitary force.

Here’s a run-down of who’s who in the Islamic Republic at one of the most pivotal moments in its 47-year history:

Mojtaba Khamenei

Position: Supreme Leader

Political leaning: Conservative

After Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli attack at the start of the war, Iranian clerics appointed his second-oldest son Mojtaba to succeed him. The choice signalled continuity of his father’s hardline rule at home and anti-US foreign policy.

The younger Khamenei has not appeared in public or on camera since the war started. He issued his first statement as leader in writing, and US officials said he was likely wounded and possibly disfigured.

Sanctioned by the US, he’s considered close to the IRGC and Iran’s regional militia allies like Hezbollah and Hamas. He also oversees a sprawling investment empire stretching from Tehran to Dubai and Frankfurt, Bloomberg reported in January. He didn’t respond to requests for comment at the time.

Mohsen Rezaee

Position: Military adviser

Political leaning: Conservative

The new supreme leader’s first personnel decision was to appoint Mr Rezaee as his military adviser.

Sanctioned by the US, Mr Rezaee led the IRGC’s intelligence unit after the 1979 revolution and rose through its ranks during the gruelling Iran-Iraq war that followed to become commander of the entire force. 

He later moved into politics, running unsuccessfully for president several times and joining the Expediency Discernment Council that advises the supreme leader.

Mr Rezaee is wanted by Interpol for his alleged participation in the bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires in 1994.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf

Position: Parliament speaker

Political leaning: Conservative

Mr Qalibaf’s position in Parliament gives him a seat on the influential Supreme National Security Council, and his profile has risen since the 12-day war with Israel and the US in June 2025.

He was previously mayor of Tehran and an IRGC commander. He also ran in several presidential elections, but never got far.

He congratulated the Guards for crushing recent protests, which he described as orchestrated by the US and Israel.

Masoud Pezeshkian

Position: President

Political leaning: Reformer

The formal role of the president is largely confined to domestic economic policy. Mr Pezeshkian also sat on the three-person interim council that ruled until the selection of the new supreme leader.

A reformist, Mr Pezeshkian was elected in 2024 after the death of hardline President Ebrahim Raisi. 

After the recent protests, he encouraged the late Ayatollah Khamenei to address public grievances, but was unsuccessful – a sign of his limited influence.

Abbas Araghchi

Position: Foreign Minister

Political leaning: Moderate technocrat

A respected and experienced career diplomat – both inside and outside the country – Mr Araghchi is considered a pragmatic technocrat. 

He’s worked for different administrations, pushed for talks with the US and led nuclear negotiations, while cautioning in the latest round that Iran was prepared for war if necessary.

He’s also a former IRGC member and a staunch supporter of the Islamic Republic’s core policies. 

Ahmad Vahidi

Position: Commander of the IRGC

Political leaning: Conservative

A veteran of the Guards, Mr Vahidi previously served as interior and defence minister. Like Mr Rezaee, he’s also under an Interpol red notice for his alleged participation in the Buenos Aires bombing.

The US has sanctioned him for his role overseeing the suppression of protests in Iran in 2022.

He was promoted from deputy commander after his predecessor Mohammad Pakpour was killed at the start the war.

Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi

Position: Commander of Joint Military HQ

Political leaning: Conservative

Mr Aliabadi is a longtime IRGC member who now leads Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which oversees operations by both the guards – formally tasked with protecting the revolution – and the conventional army.

His last two predecessors were killed in the 12-day war. 

The joint HQ has played a key role in Iran’s messaging during the current war, issuing threats to target US naval escorts in the Strait of Hormuz and announcing attacks on oil tankers.

Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei

Position: Chief Justice

Political leaning: Hardline conservative

The head of the judiciary and second member of the interim leadership council. A cleric appointed by the supreme leader, Mr Ejei had been the elder Khamenei’s enforcer.

As a prosecutor, he targeted dissenters and dissidents.

As intelligence minister, he rooted out what he called “soft subversion” by arresting academics and researchers.

The EU and US have sanctioned him, alleging human-rights abuses. In January, he vowed to speed up the prosecution of protesters.

Hassan Khomeini

Position: Heir

Political Leaning: Moderate loyalist

Mr Hassan Khomeini is the grandson of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. 

While a loyalist, he’s perceived as a relative moderate for his association with reformists who were increasingly ostracised from power under Ayatollah Khamenei.

He’s the custodian of his grandfather’s vast mausoleum complex in Tehran, which serves as a pilgrimage site. BLOOMBERG