Majid Mousavi, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force and a long-running figure in Iran’s missile establishment, died Feb. 28, 2026. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Mousavi took command of the IRGC Aerospace Force in June 2025 by decree of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He replaced Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who was killed in Israeli attacks, putting Mousavi at the head of a force central to Iran’s missile and drone programs at a time of heightened regional confrontation.
He had operated within Iran’s missile-program inner circle since the mid-1980s and maintained a low public profile, rarely appearing in public. Before becoming commander, he served as a deputy within the IRGC Aerospace command structure. When he did speak publicly, his remarks were closely associated with Iran’s missile capabilities, including points that drew attention in longer-range missile debates and in discussions touching on solid-fuel space or launcher projects.
Mousavi was seen publicly at a November 2020 ceremony marking the anniversary of the death of Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, a seminal figure in Iran’s missile program; the event also included the unveiling of two missile-program books. After Mousavi took command, he was quoted in July 2025 on lessons he said were drawn from the “12-day war” with Israel, emphasizing readiness for “any scenario.”
In the IRGC Aerospace Force, Mousavi led an organization identified with Iran’s ballistic missile development and aerospace deterrence efforts. His tenure as commander, from June 2025 until his death in February 2026, coincided with intensified scrutiny of the force’s missile and drone capabilities.