West Asia War: Top Iranian Official Ali Larijani Killed In Overnight Airstrike, Says Israel Defence Minister Katz

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, was killed in an airstrike, Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has claimed. However, there has been no official confirmation from Iranian authorities regarding the news.

Who Was Ali Larijani?

Ali Larijani is a veteran politician and long-time confidant of Ali Khamenei. A former speaker of Iran’s parliament, he served as Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), the body responsible for shaping the country’s defence and nuclear policies.

Belonging to one of Iran’s most powerful clerical families, Larijani has handled key portfolios over the years, including nuclear negotiations with Washington and managing strategic ties with Russia and China. According to Reuters, he travelled to Oman last month to lay the groundwork for indirect nuclear talks with the United States, even as American military deployments in the region were being expanded.

Meanwhile, the United States-Israel military campaign against Iran entered its 18th day with continued airstrikes and retaliatory exchanges. The operations, codenamed Epic Fury and Roaring Lion, reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior IRGC commanders.