Israeli Strike Kills Iran's Revolutionary Guards Intelligence Chief Majid Khademi

Israeli airstrikes killed Majid Khademi, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intelligence chief, in Tehran in April 2026, marking the latest in a devastating series of U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran's leadership. Since February 28, 2026, the coordinated strikes have eliminated Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, IRGC commander-in-chief Mohammad Pakpour, defense minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, and at least nine other senior military and intelligence officials. Khademi, a veteran counter-espionage official, had only assumed his position in 2025 after his predecessor was killed in a similar strike. The killing occurs amid backchannel diplomatic efforts to establish a 45-day ceasefire framework between Tehran and Washington, complicating ongoing mediation attempts.

Death of IRGC Intelligence Chief Majid Khademi

• ▪Majid Khademi was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran in April 2026
• ▪Majid Khademi served in the Intelligence Protection Organization and the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC
• ▪Majid Khademi took up the IRGC intelligence role in 2025 after his predecessor was killed in a similar strike
• ▪Majid Khademi served as head of intelligence for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Systematic elimination of Iranian leadership

• ▪Ali Larijani was killed at age 67 in a U.S.-Israeli air strike in the Pardis area on March 17, 2026
• ▪Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, was killed in the February 28, 2026 strikes in Tehran
• ▪Behnam Rezaei, the Revolutionary Guards' navy intelligence chief, was killed in an Israeli strike in Bandar Abbas on March 26, 2026
• ▪Ali Shamkhani was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran on February 28, 2026
• ▪Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed aged 86 in a U.S.-Israeli air strike on his compound on February 28, 2026
• ▪Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran's defence minister, was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026
• ▪Alireza Tangsiri, the Revolutionary Guards' navy commander, died of wounds sustained in an Israeli strike in Bandar Abbas on March 26, 2026
• ▪Esmail Khatib, Iran's intelligence minister, was killed in an Israeli strike on March 18, 2026
• ▪Mohammad Pakpour, commander-in-chief of the IRGC, was killed in the February 28, 2026 strikes in Tehran
• ▪Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran's Basij paramilitary force, was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes on March 17, 2026

Ceasefire negotiations amid ongoing conflict

• ▪Majid Khademi was killed amid ongoing mediations for a ceasefire between Iran and the United States

Perspective of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

• ▪The killing of Majid Khademi represents a continuation of U.S.-Israeli strikes that have systematically eliminated Iran's senior military and intelligence leadership since February 2026
• ▪The IRGC has lost multiple intelligence chiefs to Israeli airstrikes, with Majid Khademi's predecessor also killed in a similar strike before he assumed the role in 2025

Perspective of Diplomatic mediators

• ▪The killing of Majid Khademi occurred while backchannel diplomacy was actively pursuing a 45-day ceasefire framework between Tehran and Washington