Top Iranian official Ali Larijani has been reported as killed in an Israeli airstrike, as confirmed by Israeli authorities.
Larijani, who was the Security Chief and a former nuclear negotiator, held a prominent position within the Iranian regime following the passing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He succumbed to injuries sustained during the IDF’s operation targeting him the previous night, announced Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz.
If confirmed, Larijani’s demise would mark the highest-ranking Iranian official to be eliminated since the death of Khamenei amidst the initial US-Israeli assaults on Iran on February 28.
During his last public appearance, Larijani participated in a procession through Tehran at the annual al-Quds Day rally alongside other senior Iranian dignitaries. In a subsequent interview with Iranian state TV, he condemned an attack that occurred during the event as an act of desperation by adversaries.
The IDF disclosed that they conducted strikes targeting three senior figures within Iran overnight, including Larijani, Akram al-Ajouri (deputy secretary-general of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad), and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. Israeli authorities allege that Larijani and Soleimani were eliminated in the assault.
A statement attributed to Ali Larijani praised the sacrifices made by Iranian naval personnel, emphasizing their enduring impact on the nation’s defense forces. Larijani, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was appointed in August 2025 as the representative of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with some sources referring to him as an advisor to Khamenei.
Having previously served as Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator from 2005 to 2007, Larijani’s untimely death has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles. Iranian media anticipates the release of an official statement from the Security Chief.
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