Israel Claims to Have Killed Ali Larijani, Key Figure and Pillar of Iranian Power
Israel stated on Tuesday 17 March that it had killed Ali Larijani, Iran’s influential national security chief. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described him as a gangster leader running the Islamic Republic.
If confirmed, Larijani’s death would constitute a major blow to Iran’s system of government more than two weeks into the conflict that has engulfed the Middle East. The war has shaken global markets and carries consequences far beyond the region.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Larijani “was eliminated last night.” This has not been confirmed by Iran.
“This morning we eliminated Ali Larijani, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, a gangster gang that actually runs Iran,” Netanyahu said in a televised statement.
He stated that overthrowing Iranian authorities by the people “will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we continue to make efforts in this regard, we will give them the opportunity to take control of their own destiny.”
The incident occurred less than three weeks after the US-Israeli attack on 28 February that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989. This triggered regional conflict with global implications.
Larijani, 68, is described as a principal pillar of the governing system, close to the late ayatollah, and played an important role in nuclear policy and strategic diplomacy for the government over several decades.
Following the outbreak of conflict, his power increased. Whilst the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been seen in public since his appointment to replace his assassinated father, Larijani walked among crowds at pro-government demonstrations in Tehran last week. The reported killing occurred as attacks struck countries across the Middle East on Tuesday, from Gulf states to Iraq, Lebanon, and Iran.
An AFP reporter previously reported explosions in Tehran on Tuesday, following a night marked by heavy bombardment accompanied by thunder and rain.
Shortly after Israel announced his death, Larijani’s official social media profile posted a handwritten note paying tribute to Iranian sailors who died when a US submarine sank an Iranian frigate this month. The note was undated and the post did not address claims of his death.
Israel also stated on Tuesday that it had killed Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary forces of the Revolutionary Guards, in an attack on Tehran. It said it had targeted Akram al-Ajouri, head of the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, in an operation in Iran, although his death has not been confirmed.
Since the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, Israel has pursued a policy described by analysts as a “decapitation” strategy, targeting enemy leaders, including Hizbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon and senior leaders in Gaza.
The whereabouts of the new Iranian Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, have been the subject of considerable speculation. US President Donald Trump said on Monday, “We don’t know whether he is already dead or not.”