The Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran’s regime announced on the evening of Tuesday, March 17, after about 12 hours of delay, the killing of Ali Larijani, the council’s secretary. This comes after the Israeli military had earlier reported targeting him, and speculation about his fate had increased in recent hours.
According to the official statement, Larijani was killed in the attack along with his son Morteza, Alireza Bayat, the deputy for security affairs at the Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council, and several of his bodyguards. The exact location of the attack has not yet been fully disclosed, but some regime-affiliated sources have stated that the operation took place at a residential location in the Pardis area near Tehran.
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State-run media outlets, including Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also confirmed the deaths of Larijani and his son by publishing images. However, the time gap between the initial reports and the official confirmation once again indicates confusion and a lack of coordination in the regime’s information apparatus.
Ali Larijani was considered a well-known and influential figure within Iran’s political and security structure. Over the years, he held key positions, including serving as Speaker of the Majlis (parliament) and occupying important security roles, and was regarded as one of the influential figures at the highest levels of the regime’s power structure.
His killing comes at a time when the power structure at the top of the regime is facing increasing challenges and tensions. The removal of one of the main figures of this structure may be seen by observers as a sign of growing pressure and vulnerability within the regime’s security and political leadership.
