Tehran confirms top security official Ali Larijani has been killed

Tehran has confirmed the death of Ali Larijani, its top security official and secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. The council released a statement early Wednesday local time, announcing that Larijani was killed and referred to him as “martyred” after dedicating his life to public service. This news follows remarks from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who claimed Larijani was “eliminated” on Monday night. The council noted that Larijani, a key figure in Iran in recent months, died with several others, including his son and security staff. The statement honored Larijani’s extensive political career, stating that he worked for Iran’s progress “until the very last moments of his life” and called for unity against external threats. On Tuesday, Iran also confirmed that Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of its Basij paramilitary force, had been killed in what was described as “a terrorist attack by the American-Zionist enemy.” According to Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency, funerals for both Larijani and Soleimani are scheduled for Wednesday. Iran’s Fars news agency reported that President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his “deep sorrow and regret” over Larijani’s passing, stating, “I saw nothing from him but benevolence, insight, companionship, and foresight.” He added, “Undoubtedly, it is very difficult to compensate for this loss.”