Who Is Ali Larijani? Senior Iranian Leader In Spotlight For 'Heart Will Be Stabbed' Remark Amid Rising Middle East Tensions After Khamenei's Death
· Free Press Journal
Iran vowed to retaliate even harder against the United States and Israel following the assassination of its former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an event that has dramatically escalated the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
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Senior Iranian leader Ali Larijani emerged as the face of Tehran’s response, issuing a stern warning of a far more crushing counterattack against American and Israeli forces. Speaking to Iranian state media in his first remarks since Khamenei’s death, Larijani said the killing amounted to an attack on the very soul of the nation. “They stabbed the heart of the nation. Their heart will be stabbed too,” Larijani said, as Iranian media described Khamenei’s death as martyrdom.
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Larijani, a veteran politician and long-time confidant of Khamenei, has reasserted his influence amid the war-driven crisis. A former speaker of Iran’s parliament, he currently serves as Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), the body responsible for shaping the country’s defence and nuclear policies.
Belonging to one of Iran’s most powerful clerical families, Larijani has handled key portfolios over the years, including nuclear negotiations with Washington and managing strategic ties with Russia and China. According to Reuters, he travelled to Oman last month to lay the groundwork for indirect nuclear talks with the United States, even as American military deployments in the region were being expanded.
Following Khamenei’s killing, Larijani said a temporary leadership council would govern Iran until a new supreme leader is appointed. He also accused the US and Israel of attempting to “plunder and disintegrate” Iran and warned that any secessionist movements would face a severe crackdown.
Nuclear Stance & Sanctions
Larijani has previously described Iran’s nuclear dispute with the West as “resolvable,” insisting that concerns over nuclear weapons could be addressed. He has consistently maintained that Iran’s nuclear programme is meant for peaceful purposes, defending Tehran’s right to enrich uranium and criticising Western demands to limit it.
The United States, however, sanctioned Larijani in January, accusing him of playing a role in directing violent crackdowns on anti-government protests. Human rights groups claim thousands were killed during the unrest.
The United States and Israel launched a major military strike on Iran on Saturday, which Iranian state media say killed Khamenei along with several senior military officials. The development has plunged the Middle East into one of its most dangerous phases in decades, with fears growing that Iran’s promised retaliation could trigger a wider regional war.