Israel Assassine le Leader Iranien Ali Larijani

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) ** Tehran**: In a major escalation of the ongoing conflict, Iran’s de facto wartime leader, Ali Ardashir Larijani, a pragmatic figure seen as a potential bridge for de-escalation, was assassinated in overnight Israeli strikes, dealing a severe blow to Tehran’s leadership and dimming prospects of a possible exit path for the US.

“Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, has been eliminated,” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement followed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s TV address claiming a major win.

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Iran confirmed Larijani’s death, saying the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) has“ascended to martyrdom in the ongoing American-Israeli aggression” against the Islamic Republic.

In a statement issued late Tuesday, the SNSC Secretariat announced the martyrdom of Dr. Ali Larijani alongside his son, Mortaza Larijani; the SNSC deputy for security, Alireza Bayat; and a number of their bodyguards.

Larijani, 67, was widely seen as Iran’s No. 2 leader and played a key role in running the country alongside the transitional council after Ayatollah Khamenei’s assassination.

His killing came a day after he warned of a“conspiracy” linked to associates of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, alleging plans for a 9/11-style attack to frame Iran.

Larijani is the second major leader to have been taken out by Israel after Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s assassination by the US and Israel on February 28, the first day of the war. Several other top Iranian leaders have also been killed since then.

** Who Was Ali Larijani?**

Ali Larijani was a seasoned politician, war veteran, and philosopher who served as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council since 2025.

A close aide to Khamenei and a former nuclear negotiator with the US, Larijani was last seen in Tehran on March 13 at a rally alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian.

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Known as a calm and pragmatic figure within Iran’s leadership, he had warned the US and Israel of an“unforgettable lesson” after the conflict began.

Born on June 3, 1958, in Najaf, Iraq, Larijani came from an influential family once described by Time magazine as the“Kennedys of Iran”. His father was a prominent religious scholar, and his brothers hold key positions in the country.

He studied at Qom seminary and later earned degrees in computer science and mathematics and a PhD in Western philosophy from leading Iranian universities.

Larijani has also written at least six philosophy books, including three exploring the works of German philosopher Immanuel Kant.

He was appointed to advise Ayatollah Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration and travelled to Oman to meet with mediators just two weeks before Israel and the US attacked.

Like other top Iranian leaders, he was under heavy US sanctions.

Larijani was a former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988). He began his political career in the 1980s and served as culture minister from 1994 to 1997.

He went on to serve three consecutive terms as Speaker of Parliament from 2008 to 2020 and played a significant role in securing approval for the 2015 nuclear deal.

In August 2025, he returned to a key security role as head of the Supreme National Security Council.

His death marks a significant setback for Iran amid intensifying conflict with the US and Israel.

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