Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Mar 17: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday claimed that it had killed senior Iranian leader Ali Larijani, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council of Iran, during ongoing military operations.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the IDF described Larijani as one of the most senior figures in the Iranian leadership and a close associate of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The Israeli military alleged that Larijani played a major role in the Iranian government’s response to anti-regime protests, claiming he oversaw operations that led to the deaths of demonstrators.
However, shortly after Israel’s claim, posts appeared on social media accounts associated with Larijani showing a handwritten statement attributed to him. In the note, he referred to a funeral ceremony held Tuesday for 84 Iranian sailors who were killed in a March 4 U.S. attack on the warship IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka.
“Their memory will forever remain in the heart of the Iranian nation,” the statement said, casting doubt on the Israeli claim about his death.
According to the IDF, Larijani had taken a leading role in Iran’s political and military leadership following the death of Khamenei and was involved in directing operations against Israel and other countries in the region.
The report of his alleged killing comes just days after Larijani participated in the International Quds Day rally in Tehran on March 13.
Earlier, the IDF also claimed it had killed Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force. The Israeli military alleged that under Soleimani’s leadership the Basij had carried out repression operations against civilian protesters involving arrests and the use of force.
The Israeli military also reported carrying out strikes on several Iranian military facilities, including command centres, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) infrastructure, ballistic missile storage sites, and air defence systems.
According to the IDF, multiple targets were struck in Tehran, while additional strikes hit sites in Shiraz and Tabriz, including an internal security forces command centre and ballistic missile positions.
The situation remains fluid, and there has been no official confirmation from Iranian authorities regarding the reported killing of Larijani.