Ali Larijani, Iran security chief, killed in overnight strikes, claims Israel
PTC News Desk: Ali Larijani, Iran's security chief was reportedly killed in Israeli strikes in Iran overnight, Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday.
Iran has, however, not yet commented on the reports.
The development, if true, further cripples Iran's leadership which lost Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of strikes. Another top commander, Gholamreza Soleimani, was killed in Israeli airstrikes on Monday night.
With no update on Mojtaba’s condition, Ali Larijani, 67, had effectively become Iran’s second-in-command and was playing a key role in managing the war-hit country alongside a transitional council.
The development comes a day after Larijani — secretary of Iran’s National Security Council — warned of a “conspiracy” involving associates of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, alleging plans for a 9/11-style attack aimed at framing Iran. Larijani, who had previously led nuclear talks with the United States and was a close aide of Khamenei, was last seen in Tehran on March 13 during a rally, where he appeared alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Later that day, the US announced a reward of up to $10 million (around ₹92 crore) for information on senior Iranian officials, including Larijani.
Larijani is now the most senior Iranian official reported killed since Ayatollah Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the conflict on February 28.
- With inputs from agencies
