Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has picked Iranian Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi to oversee the country's air force, Office of the Supreme Leader announced on Sunday.
In the directive, Khamenei described Vahedi as a capable and dedicated commander who was recommended to him by the Iranian army's commander-in-chief.
The nation's commander-in-chief called on the newly-appointed military branch chief to step up efforts to upgrade the air force's combat capabilities and preparedness in responding "smartly" to all air threats, as well as to enhance and grow the air force's human resources, in order to build a capable fighting force in "effective and synergistic cooperation" with other military units.
The Associated Press reported that Vahedi, 56, practiced flying a Sukhoi-24, a Russian fighter plane, on a simulator, from 2000 until 2001. Since 2018, he has served as the Air Force's acting commander.
The outgoing Nasirzadeh is a pilot of an F-14 Tomcat fighter, as the country's air force is equipped with both Russian and American-made legacy jet fighters.
In mid-August, the Supreme Leader named a new chief for the Iranian navy, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, who succeeded Commander Hossein Khanzadi in the post. It is hoped that Admiral Irani will improve the navy's efficiency and readiness, and bring about a "revolutionary advancement," according to the official statement.