Esmaeil Khatib

Esmaeil Khatib (1961 – 18 March 2026) was an Iranian cleric and politician who served as the Minister of Intelligence from August 2021 until his assassination in March 2026 during the 2026 Iran war by an Israeli airstrike. He was the eighth official to hold the post.

Early life and education Khatib was born in Qaen, South Khorasan, in 1961. He studied Islamic jurisprudence in Qom.

Khatib held the title of Hujjat al-Islam, which translates as "proof of Islam" or "authority on Islam". Previous posts of Khatib included the head of the Information Protection Center of the Judiciary and the head of Astan Quds Razavi Security. He received 222 votes in favor. Khatib replaced Mahmoud Alavi in the post.

In June 2025, Iranian state media reported that Iranian intelligence agencies had obtained a large set of sensitive Israeli documents. Khatib said the files included material on Israel’s nuclear facilities, its relations with the United States, Europe, and other countries, as well as its defensive capabilities. He described the collection as a “treasure trove” that would strengthen Iran’s offensive capabilities and said the documents would be made public soon. Israel did not comment on the claims.

Views Khatib was one of Ali Khamenei's close allies and was also a supporter of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. He had close connections with other significant religious figures in Iran, mostly his teachers. Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Khatib's death on 18 March 2026.