ABSTRACT

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has appointed Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, a former interior and defense minister, as commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as part of a broader reshaping of the country's military and national security leadership that has produced six senior appointments in total.

CBS News

Iran appoints Ahmad Vahidi as IRGC commander amid wider military leadership reshuffle

Aug 12, 2026, 4:45 AM

Context

Vahidi is described as a secretive figure who had already been serving in the IRGC commander role following the February killing of Iranian military officer Mohammad Pakpour. He is an IRGC veteran and former Quds Force commander.

He has been accused of involvement in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Argentina, though the source does not detail the nature or outcome of those accusations.

The IRGC is characterized as one of Iran's most influential institutions, with extensive military, political, economic and security influence. Despite Vahidi's growing authority, civilian political figures — particularly Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf — have been considerably more visible since the beginning of the war.

The appointments come following the death of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in February, after which Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the role.

Separately, oil from a spill off Oman has begun reaching the country's mainland, according to the International Maritime Organization. The oil is believed to be leaking from the grounded tanker Caroline Bezengi, with the slick covering approximately 155 square miles. The IMO said the vessel was carrying around 800,000 barrels of oil from Russia to Asia when it grounded on June 30. Seasonal monsoon conditions have limited access to the vessel and delayed salvage operations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday he hoped more countries would join a defense agreement signed last week between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, known as the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. The pact contains a mutual-defense clause and opens the way for joint defense industry projects. Turkey's Foreign Minister said Egypt was expected to join; Egypt has not publicly commented.

Oil prices were largely flat on Wednesday following sharp rises earlier in the week, with Brent crude at $89.08 per barrel and U.S. benchmark crude at $83.53. U.S. gasoline averaged $4.04 per gallon nationally, 16 cents higher than a month earlier, according to AAA.

A senior Iranian source told Reuters there have been no discussions to extend a ceasefire with the United States because, from Iran's perspective, no period formally began — the U.S. having violated an interim agreement 48 hours after it was reached and withdrawn from it days later. Pakistan's Anadolu news agency had previously reported that both sides agreed to a 60-day ceasefire extension.

The International Energy Agency cut its 2026 global oil demand forecast sharply, projecting a drop of 1.6 million barrels per day, compared with a previous forecast of a one-million-barrel decline. The agency cited the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz and elevated fuel prices. Global supply rose 2.4 million barrels per day in July to 101.5 million barrels per day, but remained 6.3 million barrels per day below year-earlier levels.

Iran's Army Deputy Commander for Executive Affairs, Brigadier General Alireza Sheikh, said Tuesday that more than 75 percent of Iran's missile and drone capability remains intact. Sheikh cited Iran's Arash drone as a particular asset and said Iran's strategy was to impose disproportionate costs on adversaries using relatively inexpensive systems.

Pakistan's interior minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Iran to discuss regional security, meeting with President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni. Pakistan's defense minister told Bloomberg that the U.S. and Iran are close to 'some sort of an arrangement.'

The number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz fell to a one-week low of eight on Tuesday, below a 10-day average of about 12, according to Kpler data reported by Reuters. Before the war began on February 28, approximately 130 ships passed through daily.

Alleged Houthi strikes on a cargo vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait left at least six people dead, described as the first known deaths from Houthi attacks on shipping in the region since the latest fighting began. Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul-Salam accused Saudi Arabia of exploiting a ceasefire to tighten an air and sea blockade and said the group is open to negotiations provided the blockade is lifted.

U.S. Central Command said a Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the Panama-flagged vessel Vela Nova after its crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings while attempting to transit the Gulf of Oman toward Iran in violation of a U.S. blockade. It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties. CENTCOM said it has disabled three non-compliant vessels, boarded two, and redirected 55 commercial ships attempting to breach the blockade.

All Perspectives

Iranian government (ceasefire): A senior Iranian source told Reuters there is no talk of an extension because, from Iran's perspective, no period began. The source said the U.S. violated the interim agreement 48 hours after it was reached and withdrew from it a few days later. The source added that what is being discussed via mediators is the U.S. returning to the interim agreement and defining a timeframe for implementing commitments, with no progress reported.

Pakistani government (ceasefire): Pakistani government sources cited by Turkey's Anadolu news agency said the U.S. and Iran had agreed to extend a 60-day ceasefire. Pakistan's defense minister told Bloomberg that signals in recent days suggest both sides are close to 'some sort of an arrangement.'

Iranian military (missile capability): Brigadier General Alireza Sheikh said more than 75 percent of Iran's missile and drone capabilities remain intact and ready, and that Iran's strategy is to impose disproportionate costs on adversaries using relatively inexpensive systems such as the Arash drone. He stated: 'Victory in diplomacy is the product of power on the battlefield.'

U.S. Central Command (blockade enforcement): CENTCOM said a U.S. Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the Vela Nova's engine room after the crew ignored repeated warnings. It said the ship is no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the blockade, which remains in full effect, and noted it has disabled three non-compliant vessels, boarded two, and redirected 55 attempting to run the blockade.

Houthi authorities: Spokesperson Mohammed Abdul-Salam accused Saudi Arabia of exploiting the ceasefire to tighten an air and sea blockade imposed in 2015. He said the Houthis are open for negotiations but that any settlement must include lifting the blockade.

Turkish President Erdogan: Erdogan said the vision for the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is not limited to the three founding countries and that he aspires for it to grow, with appropriate conditions possibly one day allowing all countries of the region to join. He also said the pact opens the way for developing joint projects in the defence industries.

International Maritime Organization: The IMO said oil is drifting offshore to the northeast of Oman's Al-Qibliyyah Island, with some oil reported to be reaching the mainland, and that oil spill contingency planning is in place. It noted the seasonal monsoon has limited access to the vessel and delayed salvage operations.

International Energy Agency: The IEA said the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz and elevated fuel prices continue to weigh on oil consumption. It referred to repeated claims of an imminent deal to open the strait as 'sudden diplomatic pivots' and noted that only a handful of ships are being let through.

Oxford Economics: Ben May, director of global macro research at Oxford Economics, said the renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran suggest a long-term reduction in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is now the most likely scenario.

Position not represented in the source reporting: United States government (no response to Iran's characterization of the interim agreement violation or to Iran's claimed 75% missile capability retention).

Where sources differ

CBS News states Vahidi had been serving as acting IRGC head following the February killing of Mohammad Pakpour, while The Jerusalem Post does not mention Pakpour and attributes the vacancy to the broader pattern of commanders killed in Israeli and US strikes, without specifying when Vahidi began the role.
CBS News describes Vahidi as a former Quds Force commander in addition to his ministerial roles; The Jerusalem Post does not mention a Quds Force role and instead focuses on his planning role in the 1994 Buenos Aires bombing.

Gaps & Unknowns

The source does not detail the current status or outcome of legal proceedings or international arrest warrants related to Vahidi's alleged involvement in the 1994 Argentina bombing.
The source does not explain the circumstances of Mohammad Pakpour's February killing or its relationship to Vahidi's appointment.
The source does not name the other five of the six military figures appointed alongside Vahidi.
The source does not specify whether the Vela Nova incident produced any casualties.
Egypt has not commented publicly on the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement or Turkey's expectation that it will join.
The content of the message Pakistan's interior minister conveyed from the Pakistani prime minister and army chief to Iranian President Pezeshkian is not disclosed.
The source text supplied appears truncated; some material may be missing.

Sources & Further Reading

The Jerusalem Post — original — by DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD
CBS News — by Frank Andrews
Al Jazeera English

Read the original at The Jerusalem Post

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