Iran confirms death of top security official Ali Larijani in US-Israeli strikes

Larijani has been described as one of the most powerful figures in the country

Ali Larijani, the influential head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has been killed in US-Israeli strikes, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced.

Larijani’s office said he was killed alongside his son, Mortaza, and his deputy for security, Alireza Bayat. His death was later confirmed on his official X account.

The IRGC media arm, Sepah, described Larijani as “one of the most well-known and skilled politicians in Iran.”

A former parliamentary speaker, he was a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the first wave of US-Israeli strikes on February 28.

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Western media described Larijani as the second most powerful politician after Khamenei and the de facto leader of the country during the selection of Khamenei’s successor.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Larijani was “eliminated” along with Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Basij militia. Iran confirmed Soleimani’s death shortly afterward.

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have listed regime change in Iran as one of their war goals.

Iranian officials, however, say the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father, Ali Khamenei, demonstrates that the assassination of leaders has failed to trigger the downfall of the government.