Iran Confirms Death of ‘De Facto Leader’ Ali Larijani in Israeli Airstrike

Iran has confirmed the death of Ali Larijani, a senior political figure and key architect of the country’s security policy, following an Israeli airstrike.

The 67-year-old was reportedly killed while visiting his daughter near Tehran, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency. Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, had previously confirmed the strike targeted Larijani.

Larijani, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War, held multiple senior roles including head of the Supreme National Security Council, parliament speaker for 12 years, and chief nuclear negotiator. He was a close adviser to the late supreme leader Ali Khamenei and played a central role in shaping Iran’s nuclear strategy and foreign relations with countries such as Russia and China.

He participated in negotiations over the 2015 nuclear deal, from which the United States withdrew under Donald Trump. Larijani was also linked to the suppression of mass protests earlier this year, actions that drew sanctions from Washington.

Analysts say his death weakens Iran’s political establishment at a time of internal power shifts and rising influence of the Revolutionary Guards. Figures like Larijani, who balanced diplomatic engagement with loyalty to the regime, are increasingly marginalized.

Larijani’s career, spanning over four decades since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, established him as one of the country’s most enduring and strategic political actors.