Iran has confirmed the death of Ali Larijani, a senior national security figure, in an Israeli strike, according to Iranian state media reports on Tuesday. The development comes amid the third week of escalating conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel.
Israeli authorities earlier stated that two top Iranian officials were “eliminated” in a targeted overnight operation. Alongside Larijani, the strike reportedly killed Gholam Reza Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s paramilitary Basij force.
Strike details and location
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that Larijani was targeted by “American and Zionist regime fighter jets” while he was at his daughter’s residence in the Pardis district, located east of Tehran. The confirmation from Tehran followed Israel’s claim of responsibility for the operation, which it described as part of efforts to weaken Iran’s leadership structure.
Also Read | Did Israel just kill Iran’s top security strategist? What we know about Ali Larijani airstrike claim
Earlier in the day, Iran’s Mizan news agency, citing the Revolutionary Guard, also confirmed Soleimani’s death.
Who was Ali Larijani?
Larijani, 67, had emerged as a central figure in Iran’s leadership following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28. Known as a close confidant of Khamenei and his son Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani was widely seen as a key strategist during a period of transition.
While Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the role of supreme leader, he has remained largely absent from public view. In contrast, Larijani had taken on a more visible and active role in state affairs.
A former Revolutionary Guards commander during the Iran-Iraq war, Larijani was regarded as a pragmatic yet firm supporter of Iran’s theocratic system. He also served as parliamentary speaker and later as a senior adviser on strategic matters, including nuclear negotiations.
Both Larijani and Soleimani had faced sanctions from the US and other international bodies over their alleged roles in suppressing domestic protests.
