Iran International
Iran’s Supreme Leader has reshuffled senior army commanders overseeing air power and air defense, signaling a shift toward lower-profile, operational figures after wartime losses and rising fears of renewed conflict.
In a series of decrees issued by Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, new commanders have been appointed to sensitive posts within the regular army, particularly in the air force and air defense structures.
These developments are unfolding against a backdrop of mounting economic pressure and widespread anxiety over the prospect of another war – concerns that analysts say have contributed to the sharp recent decline in Iran’s currency.
New commanders
Earlier this week, Khamenei appointed Brigadier General Bahman Behmard as the new commander of the Army Air Force, replacing Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi.
Behmard had served since 2023 as acting deputy chief of operations of the Armed Forces General Staff and effectively assumed that role after Major General Mehdi Rabbani, the former deputy chief of operations, was killed during Israel’s attacks.
Despite his senior operational experience, Behmard has remained a relatively low-profile figure within Iran’s military establishment, with little media exposure compared to some of his predecessors.
His appointment appears to signal a preference for technical and operational credentials over public visibility at a sensitive time for Iran’s air capabilities.
At the same time, Brigadier General Alireza Elhami was appointed as commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Joint Air Defense HQ as well as the Army’s air defense force.
Elhami previously commanded the Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense University and is similarly regarded as a little-known figure outside military circles, with most of his career spent in training and operational planning roles rather than public-facing positions.
The Khatam Al-Anbiya Joint Air Defense HQ is responsible for coordinating Iran’s air defense across military branches. It should not be confused with the Central Khatam al-Anbiya HQ, a key pillar of the Armed Forces General Staff tasked with coordinating all military forces during major crises, including wartime.
The two commanders replaced in these posts have been reassigned to roles widely viewed as advisory or ceremonial.
Vahedi was appointed air affairs adviser to the Army commander-in-chief.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Sabahifard, commander of Army Air Defense since 2019, and Khatam Al-Anbia Joint Air Defense HQ commander since February 2025, was named assistant to the army commander-in-chief for air defense affairs.
The leadership reshuffles extend beyond air power. In November, Army Ground Forces commander Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari was removed and replaced by Brigadier General Ali Jahanshahi, formerly deputy head of evaluation at the Central Khatam al-Anbiya HQ.
Heydari was appointed as acting commander of Khatam Al-Anbia Central HQ a few days later, a significantly more senior post.
That Central HQ has itself seen dramatic changes. IRGC Major General Ali Abdollahi was appointed commander in September after Major General Gholam-Ali Rashid and his successor Major General Ali Shadmani were both killed during Israel's attacks.
Abdollahi’s appointment was not publicly announced until early that month.
Lack of media commentary
Despite the scale of these shifts, Iranian media have offered little to no comment or analysis, largely limiting coverage to headlines that describe the moves as “important changes.”
One notable exception was the news site Khabar Online, which argued that Elhami’s appointment reflected “the army’s policy of relying on in-house commanders with long-term specialized experience,” highlighting his background in both training and operational planning. The outlet also emphasized his “low-profile” career path.
That emphasis may allude to the controversy surrounding an unverified claim during the 12-day war that Iranian air defenses had shot down an Israeli F-35 fighter jet.
The claim, widely circulated by state media including IRIB, was never substantiated. IRIB head Peyman Jebelli acknowledged earlier in December that broadcasting the false report had harmed the organization’s credibility, adding that military officials had provided the information.
Sabahifard, who was air defense commander at the time, had frequently appeared in the media before the war, publicly asserting Iran’s ability to counter advanced aircraft such as the F-35. In one of his final public remarks in late October, he described Israeli damage to Iranian equipment as “natural” and claimed rapid restoration of both hardware and manpower.
The activity involves movements and coordination beyond normal patterns, including Iranian drone, missile and air-defence units, the sources said.
The developments could be linked to military exercises, Western officials with knowledge of the matter told Iran International but added that the scale and synchronization had drawn closer scrutiny.
Intelligence services are tracking command-and-control signals, deployments and logistical movements associated with the IRGC Air Force, the sources said.
The assessments come amid continued tensions between Iran and Western countries over Tehran’s nuclear and missile programs, and speculation about the possibility of renewed Israeli or even US attacks on Iran.
NBC News reported earlier today that Israeli officials are preparing to brief US President Donald Trump on options for possible new military strikes on Iran, citing concerns that Tehran is expanding its ballistic missile program.
Israeli officials believe Iran is rebuilding facilities linked to ballistic missile production and repairing air defenses damaged in a 12-day war in June, which they view as more urgent concerns than nuclear enrichment and fears of Tehran acquiring a nuclear weapon, NBC reported.
Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon but the United States and Western countries want Iran to end uranium enrichment, curb its missile power and rein its aid for armed groups in the region like Hamas and Hezbollah. Tehran has rejected the conditions.
Earlier this month, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dismissed speculations about a possible fresh round of war on Iran, calling it part of “enemy propaganda”.
“Today, beyond these military confrontations — which have existed, as you have seen, and whose likelihood is constantly being talked up, with some even deliberately fanning the flames to create anxiety, though they will not succeed, God willing — we are facing a propaganda and media confrontation,” Khamenei said.
Speaking on Thursday during a visit to South Khorasan province, Pezeshkian said that although Iran had launched missiles during the fighting, Israel’s arsenal proved superior in both quantity and capability.
“It is true that we had missiles, but their missiles were more numerous, more powerful, more precise and easier to deploy,” Pezeshkian said.
He added that it was the people who ultimately frustrated Israel, without elaborating.
Pezeshkian rejected calls for Iran to curb its missile program, framing it as essential to national defense.
“They tell us not to have missiles, while they arm Israel to the teeth so it can come here whenever it wants, raze everything and leave,” he said. “I will not accept that.”
US officials have said any talks with Tehran would hinge on sweeping conditions that include Iran ending uranium enrichment and dismantling key parts of its nuclear program, curbing or accepting limits on its missile program, and rolling back support for regional proxy forces.
The missile issue is politically charged in Tehran after the June conflict, in which Israel relied heavily on layered air and missile defenses – alongside US support – to blunt waves of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, while still suffering some strikes that penetrated defenses.
