French
DeutschAziz Nasirzadeh
Aziz Nasirzadeh | |
|---|---|
عزیز نصیرزاده | |
.jpg) | |
| Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics | |
| Assumed office 21 August 2024 | |
| President | Masoud Pezeshkian |
| Preceded by | Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1965 (age 59–60) Sarab, East Azerbaijan, Imperial State of Iran |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Iran |
| Branch/service |  Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force |
| Years of service | 1982–present |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Commands | Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force |
| Battles/wars | Iran–Iraq War |
Aziz Nasirzadeh (Persian: عزیز نصیرزاده; born 1965) is an Iranian military officer and the Iranian Minister of Defense since August 2024. He was Deputy of Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran from September 2021 to 2024, and the commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) from August 2018 to September 2021.[1] He previously served as Chief of Staff of the Iranian Air Force. A veteran of the Iran-Iraq War, when the war ended in 1988 he graduated as a certified F-14 pilot, but never saw any combat.[2][3][4]
Following June 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran, several opposition and foreign media outlets claimed that Nasirzadeh had been assassinated in the attacks targeting the Iranian Ministry of Defence headquarters in Tehran. However, pro-government journalist Dara Nassari said that "Amir Nasirzadeh is in full health and continues to serve the honorable people of Iran."[5][6]
Military career
[edit]Nasirzadeh began his military career as an F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot at the end of the Iran-Iraq War, though he never saw any combat. Over the years, he served in key positions in the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force such as chief of staff and acting commander before his appointment as full commander in 2018 to 2021.[7]
From September 2021 to 2024 Nasirzadeh was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a position that reflects significant strategic responsibility across Iran’s entire military establishment.[8][9] In August 2024 he was appointed the Iranian Minister of Defense.
Nasirzadeh is involved in national-level security planning, including chairing Iran’s National Organization for Passive Defense, responsible for safeguarding Iran’s critical civilian, military, and nuclear infrastructure from potential U.S. or Israeli strikes. His international security engagements include defense cooperation with Armenia and joint military exercises with Azerbaijan, aimed at countering Israeli, Turkish, and Western influence in the South Caucasus.[10]
Following June 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran, several opposition and foreign media outlets claimed that Nasirzadeh had been assassinated in the attacks targeting the Iranian Ministry of Defence headquarters in Tehran. However, pro-government journalist Dara Nassari said that "Amir Nasirzadeh is in full health and continues to serve the honorable people of Iran."[11][12]
Views
[edit]Israel
[edit]Nasirzadeh supports the ideology of "Resistance", stating it is a deep-rooted belief system rather than a mere tactic. In 2024, he said that “Resistance will defeat Israel as it did in 2006”.[13] In a public statement, he warned that “any malicious action by the Zionist regime will result in its own destruction”, assuring that Iran is prepared to face any scenario. In August 2023, he said "Our current and next generations are impatiently and wholeheartedly waiting to fight the Zionist regime and wipe it off the Earth".[14]
United States
[edit]In June 2025, referring to a possible failure in the 2025 United States–Iran negotiations, Nasirzadeh stated, "If a conflict is imposed on us... all US bases are within our reach, and we will boldly target them in host countries."[15]
References
[edit]- ^ "IRANIAN AIR FORCE READY TO 'ELIMINATE ISRAEL,' COMMANDER SAYS, AS TENSIONS RISE OVER SYRIA AIRSTRIKES". Newsweek. 21 January 2019.
- ^ "Iran Appoints Nasirzadeh As Chief Of Country's Air Force". Radio Farda.
- ^ "Leader appoints Brig. Gen. Nasirzadeh as Dep. Chief of Staff". Mehr News Agency. 2021-09-19. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Former F-14 pilot named new Iran air force chief". Times of Israel. AP. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "تکذیب ترور وزیر دفاع؛ امیر نصیرزاده در سلامت کامل است" [Reports of Defense Minister's assassination refuted; Amir Nasirzadeh is safe and in good health]. Haft-e Sobh (in Persian). 15 June 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "تکذیب شایعه ترور وزیر دفاع" [Assassination rumors about the Defense Minister refuted]. Fararu (in Persian). 2025-06-15. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
- ^ "Khamenei Reshuffles Air Force And General Staff Commanders". Iran International. 2021-09-19. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Khamenei Reshuffles Air Force And General Staff Commanders". Iran International. 2021-09-19. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Iran's Ex-Minister Appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff - Politics news". Tasnim News Agency. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "تکذیب ترور وزیر دفاع؛ امیر نصیرزاده در سلامت کامل است" [Reports of Defense Minister's assassination refuted; Amir Nasirzadeh is safe and in good health]. Haft-e Sobh (in Persian). 15 June 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "تکذیب شایعه ترور وزیر دفاع" [Assassination rumors about the Defense Minister refuted]. Fararu (in Persian). 2025-06-15. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
- ^ "'Resistance will defeat Israel as it did in 2006': Iran DM". Tehran Times. 2024-10-14. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Iran nominates ex-Air Force chief as defense minister". Times of Israel. AP. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Iran threatens to strike US bases in region if military conflict arises". Reuters. 2025-06-11. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
