New Delhi (India) March 18:Iran has confirmed the death of its national security chief, Ali Larijani, just hours after Israel claimed responsibility for his killing in an airstrike. The Iranian president expressed condolences and vowed to seek revenge for this significant loss.
"The pure souls of the martyrs embraced the purified soul of God's righteous servant, Martyr Dr. Ali Larijani," said Iran's Supreme National Security Council in a statement.
"After a lifetime of struggle for the advancement of Iran and of the Islamic Revolution, he ultimately attained his long-held aspiration, answered the divine call, and honourably achieved the sweet grace of martyrdom in the trench of service," it added.

Setback After Khamenei's Death

Larijani’s death marks a severe setback for Iran, particularly in light of the recent killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s longtime supreme leader, in a US-Israeli strike less than three weeks ago.
Larijani was last seen in public on Friday, where he was showing support for Palestinians at an Al-Quds Day rally in Tehran alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian. A prominent figure in Iranian politics for many years, he previously led the country’s nuclear negotiations with the West and served as the speaker of the Iranian parliament.

Netanyahu: Killed IRGC Boss

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the killing of Larijani as part of a broader strategy to empower Iranians to challenge their own government.
“This morning we eliminated Ali Larijani, the boss of the Revolutionary Guards, which is the gang of gangsters that actually runs Iran,” Netanyahu said in a televised statement.
“But if we persist in this – we will give them a chance to take their fate into their own hands,” he added.

Israel's Threat to New Leader

In a statement, Israel’s military declared its intention to target Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the deceased Ayatollah who took power following his father’s death on February 28.
"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 neutralise him," military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said.

Soleimani Also Eliminated

This announcement follows reports that Israel had also targeted another high-ranking Iranian military official, Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary force. The Israeli military confirmed it had bombarded Basij positions around Tehran after claiming responsibility for killing the group's top commander.
Funeral services for Larijani, as well as for Soleimani, are scheduled for Wednesday morning in central Tehran, according to reports from Fars and Tasnim.