Mohammad Pakpour

Mohammad Pakpour (; 2 June 1961 – 28 February 2026) was an Iranian military officer who served as the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from 2025 until his death in 2026. He had previously commanded the IRGC Ground Forces.

He was appointed IRGC commander on 13 June 2025 following the death of his predecessor Hossein Salami during the Twelve-Day War. Following his promotion, Mohammad Karami succeeded him as commander of the Ground Forces.

On 28 February 2026, he was killed in the Iran war.

Military career

Pakpour joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the wake of the Iranian Revolution in 1979. He served during the 1979 Kurdish rebellion in Iran and the eight-year-long Iran–Iraq War. His responsibilities included five years of Army Operations Command, commander of the 8th Najaf Ashraf Division, commander of 31st Ashura Division of Command chief Army's Northern Command headquarters. Among his duties were fighting terrorism in northwest Iran, establishing security in southeast Iran, and overseeing specialized exercises.

According to Pakpour, the IRGC sought to promote the security of the region through new military tactics.

He believed that drones like Hemaseh helped keep the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on their toes and showed the consistency and preparedness of the force.

In 2017, commandos of Iran's elite Saberin Unit special forces, under Pakpour's direct command, were responsible for neutralizing ISIS terrorists during the 2017 Tehran attacks.

Participation in Third Battle of Fallujah In 2016, Pakpour was pictured alongside Qasem Soleimani directing the IRGC forces in the Third Battle of Fallujah against the Islamic State. It was believed to be the first time he was seen directing operations in either Iraq or Syria. According to The Long War Journal, "His presence in Fallujah underscores the importance of operations in Iraq to the IRGC's leadership".

Sanctions On 24 June 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned him, freezing any of his U.S. assets and banning U.S. persons from doing business with him. He was also sanctioned by the European Union, Australia, Japan, and Canada for his involvement with the IRGC and its wider operations. Although these sanctions were temporarily lifted following the 2015 nuclear agreement, they were reinstated after the United States withdrew from the deal.

Death On 28 February 2026, the Israel Defense Forces announced that Pakpour had been killed in the 2026 Iran war. This was later confirmed by Iranian state media IRNA.