Aziz Nasirzadeh (; 1964 â 28 February 2026) was an Iranian military officer who served as the Minister of Defence of Iran from 2024 to 2026. He previously served as the Deputy of Chief of Staff for the Iranian Armed Forces from September 2021 to August 2024, and was the commander of the Iranian Air Force (IRIAF) from August 2018 to September 2021, prior to that position. A veteran of the IranâÂÂIraq War, he graduated as a certified F-14 pilot, but never saw any combat. On 28 February 2026, the Israel Defense Forces announced that he had been killed during the 2026 Iran war.
Nasirzadeh began his military career as an F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot at the end of the IranâÂÂIraq 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.
From September 2021 to 2024 Nasirzadeh was Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a position that reflected significant strategic responsibility across Iran's entire military establishment. In August 2024 he was appointed the Iranian Minister of Defense.
Nasirzadeh was 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 included defense cooperation with Armenia and joint military exercises with Azerbaijan, aimed at countering Israeli, Turkish, and Western influence in the South Caucasus.
Following June 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran, several opposition and foreign media outlets claimed that Nasirzadeh had been killed 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."
Nasirzadeh was killed during the 2026 Iran war, on 28 February 2026, by the Israel Defense Forces. The Iranian government reported his death in official news websites and television channels on IRIB.
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