Iran officially confirmed late Tuesday that senior official Ali Larijani was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike, along with his son and several associates, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a direct message to the Iranian public calling on them to “celebrate.”
In a statement, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said it was mourning the death of its secretary, Ali Larijani, who was killed in what it described as an American-Israeli attack.
According to the statement, Larijani was killed alongside his son, Morteza, his aide Ali Reza Bayat and several bodyguards.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised Larijani as “a prominent and valuable figure” who “provided extensive and diverse service throughout his career,” adding that he had worked to promote “peace and security in the region.”
Separately, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard confirmed that Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani was also killed in an Israeli strike, describing it as a “cowardly assassination.” The Basij issued a threat against Israel, saying the force remains “committed to the revolution until our last breath.”
Shortly after the announcements, Netanyahu delivered a message to the Iranian people from the Israeli Air Force command center in Tel Aviv.
“Our aircraft are hitting the terror operatives on the ground, in the crossroads, in the city squares,” Netanyahu said, standing alongside senior defense officials. “This is meant to enable the brave people of Iran to celebrate.”
Referring to the Persian festival of Nowruz, he added: “So celebrate, and happy Nowruz. We’re watching from above.”
Netanyahu also said that in the past 24 hours, Israel had “knocked out two of the top terrorist chieftains of this tyranny,” in an apparent reference to Larijani and Soleimani.