Who is Ali Larijani?
published at 05:44
05:44
Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian
Ali Larijani in a yellow scarf and sunglasses
Image source,Reuters
Ali Larijani is the influential secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).
He was appointed in August 2025 by President Masoud Pezeshkian as secretary of the SNSC and as the representative of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to the council.
He has also been described in Iranian outlets as an adviser to the late supreme leader. He served as speaker of Iran's parliament for 12 years, from May 2008 to May 2020.
Although he headed the Principlist faction in parliament from 2008 to 2012, he has been described as a "moderate conservative" in recent years.
Before becoming speaker, Larijani served as Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator between 2005 and 2007.
His brother, Sadegh Larijani, is another influential figure in the Islamic Republic. He chairs the Expediency Council, a top arbitration body that serves as the final arbiter between parliament and the constitutional watchdog, the Guardian Council.
Larijani attacked with son in hideout apartment, Israeli media reports
published at 06:09
06:09
Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem
Israeli media are reporting that Ali Larijani was attacked with his son in a hideout apartment.
Israel’s Minister of Defence Israel Katz said Larijani had been “eliminated” and that he and the prime minister had instructed the military to “continue hunting down” Iran’s leadership.
The Iranian security chief had been seen in public last Friday taking part in Quds Day rallies.
He was a former nuclear negotiator for Iran and a close ally of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the war.
There’s been no confirmation of his death from Iran.
Larijani last seen in public at Quds Day march in Tehran
published at 06:31
06:31
Larijani
Image source,Iranian President's Press Office/UPI/Shutterstock
Ali Larijani was last pictured in public at the Quds Day march in Tehran on 13 March, according to his X account which purported to show him in the street waving and talking to supporters.
A day earlier, he taunted President Trump on social media, posting on X that "Trump says he is looking for a speedy victory. While starting a war is easy, it cannot be won with a few tweets."
"We will not relent until making you sorry for this grave miscalculation."
In another post on 10 March, Larijani said Iran was not scared of Trump's "threats", adding that "even those bigger than you couldn’t eliminate Iranian nation".
"Be careful, so that you won’t get eliminated," he added.
Iran's senior leadership targeted in strikes
published at 08:14
08:14
Israel says it has killed Iran's security chief Ali Larijani in a strike, and will "continue hunting down" the leaders of the country. As the graphic below shows, many of the country's pre-war senior figures have been killed.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death was announced on 28 February, following the first day of US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Also killed in the first wave of strikes were security adviser Ali Shamkhani, defence minister Amir Nasirzadeh, Revolutionary Guards commander General Mohammad Pakpour, and armed forces chief of staff Abdolrahim Mousavi.
