Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz has claimed that Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani was killed in an Israeli attack, according to Al Jazeera. The statement was made during a televised address on Monday (March 17).
Katz said:
“Leaders of Iran’s ruling establishment are being targeted and eliminated, and their capabilities are being destroyed.”
He further added:
“Our military is operating with strength to strike and completely destroy missile capabilities and strategic infrastructure.”
Who Was Ali Larijani?
Ali Larijani was widely known as a pragmatic and moderate figure within Iran’s ruling structure for decades. He served as the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and played a key role in shaping Iran’s strategy during ongoing tensions involving the United States and Israel.
Born in 1958 in Najaf, Iraq, Larijani came from a wealthy and influential family, once described by Time magazine as “the Kennedy family of Iran.” His father was a prominent religious scholar.
At the age of 20, he married Farideh Motahhari, daughter of a close associate of Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Larijani had a secular academic background. He earned degrees in mathematics and computer science before completing a PhD in Western philosophy.
In 2008, he entered parliament and went on to serve three consecutive terms as Speaker. He also played a significant role in securing approval of the 2015 nuclear deal.
In August 2025, Larijani returned as Secretary of the Security Council, re-emerging as a central figure in Iran’s leadership.
The claim of his death has not been independently verified in the report.
