Israel Claims Death of Iran’s National Security Adviser Ali Larijani
News Summary
Prepared following editorial review.
- Israel’s Defense Minister Katz has claimed the death of Iran’s senior National Security Council official Ali Larijani.
- Al Jazeera reports explosions in Tehran and other cities, with attacks targeting IRGC Basij commander Soleimani.
- Israel asserts it killed Basij commander Soleimani, while Iran has not yet responded.
March 16, Kathmandu – Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz has claimed that Ali Larijani, a senior official of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has died. In a press release, Katz stated that he recently received information about the death of a high-ranking Iranian security official.
Meanwhile, Iranian media outlets Tasnim and Mehr News Agency report that Ali Larijani is expected to release a statement shortly. Larijani serves as the influential Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
He was appointed as the council’s secretary and as the representative of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by President Massoud Peziskian in August 2025.
Al Jazeera has reported that over the past several hours, loud explosions were heard across various parts of Tehran. These attacks were not limited to the capital but were also reported in other cities, including Ahvaz, Isfahan, and Shiraz.
Al Jazeera further confirmed that significant buildings across the capital and two prominent figures—IRGC Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani and National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani—were targeted.
An Israeli military official, speaking on behalf of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), confirmed that the National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani was targeted. It remains unclear whether he was killed or injured.
Earlier Monday night, Ali Larijani had issued a letter criticizing governments of Islamic countries.
Addressing “the Muslim and Islamic governments of the world,” Larijani wrote, “Are you aware that, except for a handful of incidents, no Islamic government has supported the Iranian people?”
He added, “Iran is your ally and has no intention to dominate you, but whose side are you on?”
Who is Basij Commander Gholamreza Soleimani?
Israel claims to have killed Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of Iran’s paramilitary Basij force, in an attack. Iran has not yet responded to this claim.
Born in 1964, Soleimani joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in his youth. During the Iran-Iraq war, he served as a battalion commander and later led various IRGC divisions, steadily advancing through the ranks.
Since 2019, he had commanded the paramilitary volunteer group Basij, which operates under the IRGC. This force is estimated to have approximately 450,000 personnel, and Soleimani was considered a key figure in Iran’s internal security apparatus.
Seen as a staunch supporter of the Iranian government, Soleimani has faced sanctions from the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, and several other Western countries and organizations.