Israel claims Iran's security chief dead, Ali Larijani posts on X moments later
ISRAEL'S Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed on Tuesday that Iran's security chief Ali Larijani was killed, reported news agency Reuters. However, there has been no confirmation from Tehran yet.
“Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation program, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil in the depths of hell,” Katz said this morning, according to his office.
Earlier in the day, the reports of Larijani's alleged death emerged from Israeli media.
However, later in the day, a post was shared on Larijani's social media account paying tribute to the “martyrs” of the Islamic Republic.
“On the occasion of the funeral ceremony for the valiant martyrs of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Navy: Their memory will forever remain in the heart of the Iranian nation, and these martyrdoms will strengthen the foundation of the Islamic Republic's Army for years to come within the structure of the armed forces. I beseech the Almighty God for the highest ranks for these dear martyrs,” the post read. But no confirmation was given on whether Larijani is dead or alive.
According to the Israeli military, Larijani was one of the targets of the strikes carried out on Monday nights across Iran, Reuters reported, citing Israeli officials.
If confirmed, Larijani's death would be the biggest high-profile death in Iran amid the ongoing war after the country's late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was killed on the first day of the war on February 28.
Larijani was seen on Friday in Tehran at the Quds Day rallies, following which, the United States announced a reward of up to $10 million on the same day for any leads on 10 of Iran's intelligence and military officials, including Larijani and others linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Apart from Larijani, Israel also claimed that they had killed Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Basij forces. The Basij Forces are a paramilitary volunteer militia under the control of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
