Israeli Military Claims Strike on Iranian Leader
The Israeli military reported on Tuesday that it conducted an airstrike that resulted in the removal of Ali Larijani, regarded as Iran’s de facto leader.
If his death is confirmed by Iranian officials, Larijani would be the highest-ranking figure eliminated since the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the onset of the war. This could represent a more significant loss for Iran’s operations than that of Khamenei.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced, “I have just been informed by my chief of staff that Larijani, secretary of the National Security Council, and Soleimani, head of the Basij—the main repressive force in Iran—have been eliminated tonight. They join Khamenei and all members of the Axis of Evil who were stopped in the depths of hell.”
Gholamreza Soleimani, the Basij commander, had been leading during several violent protests in Iran, including the 2019 Bloody November and the 2022 Women, Life and Freedom movement. While officials claimed around 10,000 deaths occurred to suppress these uprisings, some observers believe the true number may be over three times higher.
At age 61, Soleimani was under international sanctions for his role in oppressing Iranian citizens. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the operation that targeted Soleimani as “guided by accurate intelligence.”
They labeled Larijani as the “de facto leader of Iran’s terrorist regime,” detailing his involvement in severe repressive actions, including overseeing alleged genocidal actions against protesters.
At 67, Larijani had a background in politics, characterized by both intellect and calmness. His family has considerable influence in Iran, often likened to the Kennedy family in the U.S.
Larijani’s daughter, Fatemeh, faced public pressure leading to Emory University in Georgia terminating ties with her due to her father’s actions during protests.
Throughout his political career, Larijani held various prominent roles, including three terms as speaker of Iran’s parliament and serving as the country’s chief nuclear negotiator for the Obama-era nuclear deal. Despite pursuing the presidency three times, he faced setbacks, being disqualified by the Guardian Council, which many believe targeted other hard-line candidates without clear rationale.
Larijani struggled to maintain his previous reputation as a negotiator and scholar, becoming more hardline and facing criticism for authorizing violence against civilians.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar remarked that the removal of Larijani and Soleimani would enhance the safety of the Iranian populace by significantly weakening Iran’s repressive structures.
As of Tuesday, the Iranian government had not verified the deaths of Larijani or Soleimani. Shortly after the announcement, a note appeared on Larijani’s X account, referencing destroyed naval forces and scheduled funerals for fallen sailors. It’s uncertain if this note aimed to challenge Israeli claims about Larijani’s status.
