Iran has confirmed the death of Ali Larijani, one of the country’s most influential political figures, also seen as a “de factor leader” and a key architect of its security policy, following an Israeli airstrike.
The 67-year-old was killed in a U.S.-Israeli attack while visiting his daughter on the outskirts of Tehran, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency. Earlier, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz had stated that Larijani was killed in a targeted strike.
Larijani was widely regarded as a central powerbroker in Iran’s political system and a close adviser to former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was himself killed in an airstrike last month.
A veteran of the Iran-Iraq War, Larijani rose through the ranks of the Islamic Republic, serving in multiple high-level roles including head of the Supreme National Security Council, parliament speaker for 12 years, and chief nuclear negotiator.
Known for his pragmatic but firm stance, he played a major role in shaping Iran’s nuclear policy and maintaining relationships with global powers such as Russia and China. He was instrumental in negotiations surrounding the 2015 nuclear deal, from which the United States later withdrew under Donald Trump.
Despite his reputation as a moderate among hardliners, Larijani was also linked to the violent suppression of mass protests earlier this year, which led to sanctions from Washington.
His death marks a significant blow to Iran’s political establishment, especially at a time of heightened tensions and internal power struggles following Khamenei’s death. With the growing influence of the Revolutionary Guards, analysts say figures like Larijani who balanced diplomacy with hardline loyalty are becoming increasingly sidelined.
Larijani’s long career, spanning decades since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, made him one of the most enduring and strategic figures in Iran’s modern political history.