Israel’s defense minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani has been killed. However, no statement of confirmation has come from Tehran yet.
“Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation program, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell,” Katz said.
As per the reports of the Israeli media, Larijani was among the targets of the airstrike, as reported by Reuters.
Reports surfaced about Larijani’s alleged death in Israeli media. Following this, another post resurfaced on social media paying tribute to the “martyrs” of the Islamic Republic.
“On the occasion of the funeral ceremony for the valiant martyrs of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Navy: Their memory will forever remain in the heart of the Iranian nation, and these martyrdoms will strengthen the foundation of the Islamic Republic’s Army for years to come within the structure of the armed forces. I beseech the Almighty God for the highest ranks for these dear martyrs,” the post read. However, the post did not clarify whether Larijani is alive or dead.
The reported killing of Ali Larijani would mark a major setback for Iran’s leadership amid the ongoing conflict, following claims that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on February 28.
Larijani was last seen in Tehran on Friday during Quds Day rallies. On the same day, the United States announced a reward of up to $10 million for information on 10 Iranian intelligence and military officials, including Larijani and others linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Larijani is considered a real power behind Iran’s leadership with strong connections with religious leaders, which includes family ties through his marriage to the daughter of a senior cleric linked to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
He serves as a prominent secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and was appointed to this position in August 2025 by President Masoud Pezeshkian. He has also been named as an adviser to the late Supreme Leader of Iran.
Furthermore, his brother, Sadegh Larijani, also serves as a significant figure within the Islamic Republic by serving as the chair of the Expediency Council, a body acting as the ultimate decision maker between parliament and the Guardian Council.
