Israeli military forces announced Tuesday they had killed Ali Larijani, a high-ranking Iranian government leader, in strikes that could significantly impact Iran’s governing structure.
The attack also claimed the lives of Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani and his deputy, Karishi, according to Israeli Defense Forces confirmation.
Uncertainty surrounded Larijani’s fate for several hours before officials verified his death Tuesday afternoon.
Larijani had emerged as a crucial figure in Iran’s government, especially after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Following that event, Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei was named as the new leader but has been notably absent from public view amid reports he suffered severe injuries in an Israeli attack.
On March 1, Larijani declared he would lead a temporary governing body to run Iran, though the scope of his power remained unclear. In recent weeks, he became Tehran’s most visible spokesperson, regularly addressing remarks made by US President Donald Trump amid the ongoing conflict.
Throughout his career, Larijani occupied numerous high-level roles, serving as an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps commander, parliamentary speaker, and head of the National Security Council. Though he was blocked from the 2021 presidential race to clear the path for Ebrahim Raisi’s victory and temporarily lost political standing, he had recently returned to prominence.
His influence expanded after Khamenei’s assassination and the deaths of other top Iranian leaders during both the current fighting and earlier clashes in summer 2025. Many considered him Khamenei’s second-in-command during the former leader’s lifetime, and he held major responsibilities for Iran’s security operations and nuclear talks with the United States.
Should Larijani have been Iran’s de facto leader in recent weeks, his death could have major consequences for the Iranian government’s future stability.
