Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack by Israel and the United States, Tehran's state media confirmed early Sunday. While there is no official confirmation on who will be elevated as the next leader of the Islamic Republic, the name of Ali Ardashir Larijani is quickly gaining traction.
Ali Larijani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was close to Ali Khamenei and was among the last people to meet him. Often considered a moderate conservative, he has been a central figure in Iran’s legislative and national security affairs for decades and has held several senior positions. "The brave soldiers and the great nation of Iran will deliver an unforgettable lesson to the hellish international oppressors," he posted on Saturday on X amidst the escalations.
As the succession talks gain momentum, here are five things to know about Ali Ardashir Larijani, who could well be the next priority target for the US–Israel axis:
1. Larijani was not born in Iran, but in Najaf, Iraq. His father, the prominent Grand Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli, reportedly moved to Najaf to escape the pressures of the Pahlavi dynasty. The family only returned to Iran in 1961 when Larijani was three years old. Larijani earned a PhD in philosophy from the University of Tehran, specialising in "Kant's Philosophy of Mathematics." His brother, Sadeq Larijani, once led the Iranian judiciary, while another brother, Mohammad Javad Larijani, has held senior diplomatic roles, news articles claimed.
2. Larijani does not wear clerical robes or hold a formal seminary rank. Initially, he was part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), eventually becoming a Brigadier General. However, there is little information on him serving in any frontline command roles with the organisation during conflicts, and he later transitioned fully into political and security roles.
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3. Larijani wanted the 2015 nuclear agreement (JCPOA) to happen and backed parliamentary approval for it. Between 2005 and 2007, he was the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and served as Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator during early talks with the EU-3 (UK, France, and Germany), reports said. This stint was brief, reportedly due to differences with then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over negotiation strategy.
4. He was also entrusted with running the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) from 1994 to 2004. During his tenure, the IRIB not only expanded its reach but also became more ideologically aligned with the hardline clerics. Under his leadership, the controversial documentary Hoviat (Identity) was released, which reportedly broadcast the forced confessions of prominent intellectuals and writers. This led to his long-standing blacklisting by human rights organisations, reports added.
5. Despite his credentials, Iran’s Guardian Council barred Larijani from running in the 2021 presidential election. Though surprising to a vast section of society, the move was interpreted as a consolidation of hardline power. According to available information, the Council did not initially provide a detailed public explanation, even after Larijani himself demanded clarity. This tilted the polls heavily towards hardline candidates such as Ebrahim Raisi, who ultimately won.
