Iran Confirms Security Chief Larijani Killed; Israel Vows to Target New Supreme Leader

Iran Confirms Killing of Security Chief Ali Larijani

Iran confirmed the death of its influential national security chief on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, after Israel claimed he was killed in an airstrike and promised to track down and "neutralize" Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

Ali Larijani's passing is a significant setback for Iran, whose longtime leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was slain in US-Israeli strikes that started the West Asian conflict less than three weeks ago.

The assassination occurred as US President Donald Trump chastised allies for refusing to assist in escorting oil tankers through the blockaded waterway, and Iran's Parliament speaker vowed that shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would not return to its pre-war norm.

Larijani, who was close to the late ayatollah, had assisted in spearheading Iran's wartime counteroffensive. Iran's Supreme National Security Council declared, "After a lifetime of struggle for the advancement of Iran and the Islamic Revolution, he finally achieved his long-held aspiration, answered the divine call, and honorably achieved the sweet grace of martyrdom in the trench of service."

Mojtaba Khamenei, the late ayatollah's son who assumed power following his father's death on February 28, was Iran's new supreme leader, and Israel's military promised to destroy him as well. Brigadier General Effie Defrin, a military spokesman, told reporters, "We don't know about Mojtaba Khamenei; we don't hear him, we don't see him, but I can tell you one thing: we will track him down, find him, and neutralize him."

Israel Intensifies ‘Decapitation Strategy’ as Regional Tensions Deepen After Key Iranian Commanders Killed

Ali Larijani is the "boss of the Revolutionary Guards," according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also claimed that he is in charge of the group that essentially controls Iran. He said that although overthrowing Iran's government would be a slow and challenging process, persistent pressure might eventually enable the Iranian people to choose their own destiny. While Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has stayed out of the public eye since taking office, Larijani, 68, recently made an appearance at a pro-government demonstration in Tehran.

Analyst David Khalfa claims that Larijani was crucial in determining Iran's defense plan, regional strategy, and stability of the regime. Tehran's Nowruz celebrations, meanwhile, were muted, with the sounds of air defense systems drowning out the occasional fireworks. Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, who was also killed, will have funerals in central Tehran, according to Iranian media.

Israel claimed responsibility for attacking other individuals, including Akram al-Ajouri, and confirmed attacks on Basij positions. Israel has been using a "decapitation strategy" against its enemies since the October 7 attacks. These targeted murders were denounced by Hakan Fidan as "truly illegal."