AFP
Iran’s powerful security chief Ali Larijani has reportedly been killed, according to Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz, though Tehran is yet to confirm the claim.
If verified, his death would be a major blow to Iran’s leadership at a time of heightened tensions following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in earlier strikes blamed on Israel and the United States.
Larijani had emerged as one of the most visible figures in Iran’s leadership since the start of the conflict, while the new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has largely remained out of public view.
He was seen days ago at a pro-government rally in Tehran, signalling defiance despite ongoing military pressure.
A longtime insider, Larijani played a central role in shaping Iran’s security and nuclear strategy. He headed the Supreme National Security Council, overseeing defence coordination and nuclear policy.
“Larijani is a true insider… a canny operator,” said Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group, describing him as a figure who understood both the system’s ideology and its diplomatic limits.
Born in Iraq to a prominent clerical family, Larijani built a career across Iran’s military, media and political institutions. He served in the Revolutionary Guard, led state broadcasting, and was speaker of parliament for more than a decade.
He also served as Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator in talks with Western powers and supported the 2015 nuclear deal before it collapsed following the United States’ withdrawal.
In recent years, he had taken on a more active diplomatic role, engaging Gulf states as Tehran explored renewed negotiations before the outbreak of war.
Despite his reputation as a pragmatist, Larijani remained a firm defender of Iran’s nuclear programme. “We are not moving towards weapons, but pressure could force Iran in that direction,” he warned in 2025.
He was also among senior officials sanctioned by Washington over the government’s response to nationwide protests, which rights groups say were met with deadly force.
His reported killing, if confirmed, would remove one of Iran’s most experienced power brokers at a critical moment in the region’s escalating conflict.