Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has replaced the commander of the unit that protects Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a move that comes days after it announced the replacement of its intelligence chief. The IRGC announced on Saturday through state media that Ebrahim Jabbari, who commanded the IRGC’s “Vali Amr Protection Corps” – charged with protecting Khamenei and his family – since 2010, was replaced by Hasan Mashroueifar. It is not known what role Jabbari will be given.
On Thursday, Hossein Taeb, who headed the IRGC Intelligence Organization, was replaced by Mohammad Kazemi. The job swaps come after several IRGC officers were killed in recent weeks, some in incidents that the unit has blamed on Israel. Taeb was identified by Israeli media last week as the Iranian official behind planned attacks on Israelis in Turkey, which so far have been thwarted.