The Trump management introduced a US$10 million praise on March 15, 2026, for info resulting in the seize of a number of senior Iranian figures.
Whilst two of those leaders have since been killed through Israeli moves, they’re integrated right here to offer a extra whole image of Iran’s tough elite – other people deeply embedded within the Islamic Republic’s political, intelligence and safety structure.
As a global affairs student, I do know their careers replicate the institutional pillars of the regime – clerical authority, intelligence coordination, army energy – and assist give an explanation for why they’re regarded as high-value goals.
Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei
The son of former Preferrred Chief Ali Khamenei, who was once killed in a U.S.-Israeli strike in February 2026, Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was once selected as Iran’s new best chief in early March.
Lengthy considered as an impressive behind-the-scenes determine, he operated inside his father’s inside circle. He has cultivated sturdy relationships with Iran’s safety and intelligence establishments and earned a name as a political fixer and enforcer.
In spite of by no means preserving formal elected or senior appointed place of job, Khamenei have been extensively perceived as a possible successor to his father. This kind of transition would had been debatable below standard instances, given his loss of revel in and the ideological sensitivity round hereditary succession in a gadget born from anti-monarchical revolution.
Khamenei has additionally been connected to political controversies. Throughout the 2005 presidential election, reformist candidate Mehdi Karroubi accused him of involvement in electoral manipulation. Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad later alleged that Khamenei engaged in monetary misconduct.
Public opposition to his perceived upward thrust was once visual all the way through the 2022–23 protests, when demonstrators explicitly rejected the possibility of his management through shouting “Mojtaba, may you die and never see leadership.”
Seyyed Ali-Asghar (Mir) Hejazi
A cleric with long-standing ties to Iran’s intelligence equipment, Seyyed Ali-Asghar Hejazi have been some of the closest aides to Ali Khamenei. He started his political profession in 1980 as a part of a “purification committee” tasked with firing perceived warring parties from state establishments within the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution in 1979.
Hejazi later served as deputy for international affairs within the Ministry of Intelligence within the early Nineteen Eighties and, extra just lately, as deputy leader of personnel within the Place of business of the Preferrred Chief. On this function, he has functioned as a key middleman between quite a lot of branches of presidency in addition to spiritual and political personalities – transmitting Khamenei’s directives, shaping high-level coverage and coordinating Iran’s complicated intelligence and safety networks.
He was once sanctioned through the U.S. Treasury in 2013 for alleged human rights violations, together with involvement within the suppression of the 2009 Inexperienced Motion, and through the Eu Union in 2019. He it sounds as if survived an Israeli assault on March 6, 2026.
Seyyed Esmail Khatib
Seyyed Esmail Khatib, 64, who was once killed on March 18, 2026, had constructed his profession inside Iran’s intelligence and safety status quo. He joined intelligence operations connected to the Islamic Modern Guard Corps in 1980 and was once wounded all the way through the Iran–Iraq Struggle.
Sanctioned through the U.S. Treasury in 2020 for alleged human rights abuses, Khatib turned into Iran’s minister of intelligence in 2021.
Ali Larijani
Ali Larijani, who was once assassinated on March 17, 2026, was once one of the vital Islamic Republic’s maximum skilled political insiders. Born right into a distinguished clerical circle of relatives, he rose thru each army and civilian establishments, starting with roles connected to the Modern Guard within the early Nineteen Eighties.
Ali Larijani speaks to media in Tehran on Would possibly 31, 2024.
Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu by means of Getty Pictures
Over the many years, Larijani, 68, held a large number of senior positions. The ones come with minister of tradition from 1992–94 and head of state broadcasting from 1994–2004. He was once additionally secretary of the Preferrred Nationwide Safety Council from 2004–08 and once more from 2025–26. Larijani additionally served as Iran’s leader nuclear negotiator from 2005-07.
From early January 2026, and extra obviously following the Feb. 28 killing of Ayatollah Khamenei, Larijani emerged as a central decision-maker inside the gadget ahead of his loss of life.
Brig. Gen. Eskandar Momeni
A Modern Guard-affiliated safety professional, Eskandar Momeni, 64, is a veteran of the Iran–Iraq Struggle and took part in counterinsurgency operations in opposition to leftist teams in northern Iran.
He later held a spread of senior legislation enforcement roles, together with head of the Police Emergency Middle, a dispatch middle that directs emergency reaction devices, from 2004–05, deputy for operations of the nationwide police from 2005–08, and leader of site visitors police from 2009–14. He additionally holds a doctorate in nationwide safety.
As deputy commander of Iran’s Regulation Enforcement Power, chargeable for public safety, from 2015–18, Momeni oversaw safety responses all the way through the 2017-18 protests, that have been met with drive. Since turning into minister of internal in August 2024, he has remained a central determine in home safety coverage, together with the deadly reaction to unrest in early 2026 during which an estimated 7,000 to 30,000 Iranians had been killed.
A commander of the Islamic Modern Guard Corps, Eskandar Momeni speaks to lawmakers within the Iranian Parliament in Tehran on Aug. 20, 2024.
Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto by means of Getty Symbol
Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi
A senior Modern Guard commander and longtime army strategist, Yahya Rahim Safavi, 73, gained army coaching in Syria previous to the 1979 revolution and later turned into a key determine all the way through the Iran–Iraq Struggle.
He served as commander of the Modern Guard flooring forces, from 1985–89, deputy commander in leader from 1989–97 and commander in leader of the Modern Guard from 1997–2007. Throughout his tenure, he reportedly additionally earned a Ph.D. in geography.
In December 2006, the U.N. Safety Council put Safavi on its sanctions listing for his involvement in Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile techniques. After stepping down as Modern Guard commander, Safavi was once appointed senior army adviser to the best chief and remains to be serving in that function. He stays below U.S. sanctions.
