Ali Larijani, one of the most powerful figures in Iran’s Islamic regime, was killed by the Israel Defense Forces after months of issuing threats against President Donald Trump and U.S. service members.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed the strike, noting that Larijani had been the subject of a $10 million U.S. bounty.
“Ali Larijani had a $10 million prize on his head. We did it for free,” Sa’ar said.
The 67-year-old hardliner had recently emerged as a central voice for Tehran after being appointed head of the National Security Council following the 12-day war. He was accused of leading the regime’s brutal January crackdown on protests that left more than 30,000 dead, according to some estimates. The U.S. sanctioned him for his role, claiming he was one of the first leaders to “call for violence” against the protesters.
In the weeks leading up to his death, Larijani used social media to deliver increasingly explicit warnings to the United States, including threats against President Donald Trump and vows to “hunt down” U.S. servicemembers.
A longtime regime insider, Larijani held numerous senior roles, including head of Iran’s state broadcaster, chief nuclear negotiator, security adviser to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and speaker of parliament until 2020. He also had deep ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, and served as a commander during the Iran-Iraq War.
While some left-wing journalists have described him as a pragmatic person to negotiate with, he said in January that Iran would have “no choice” but to acquire a nuclear weapon if the United States or Israel attacked. On March 1, following the U.S. attack, he said that Iran “will not negotiate with the United States.”
Since January, he has been running Iran, according to The New York Times, after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei turned to him to steer the country through mass protests and the growing threat of war with the United States and Israel.
Last week, Larijani posted photos and videos of himself attending a Quds Day protest in Iran, appearing among crowds of civilians in an apparent show of confidence in the regime.
“Mr. Hegseth! Our leaders have been, and still are, among the people. But your leaders? On Epstein’s island!” he tweeted.
In another post about the protest, he said that the combination of brave people, brave officials, and brave leaders “cannot be defeated.”
Larijani didn’t hide his rhetoric. In the weeks before his assassination, he flooded social media with tough rhetoric and threats targeting the United States military, regional partners, and President Donald Trump. Here are some of them:
- “We will make the Zionist criminals and the shameless Americans regret their actions. The brave soldiers and the great nation of Iran will deliver an unforgettable lesson to the hellish international oppressors.” (2/28/2026)
- “To the countries of the region: We are not seeking to attack you. But when the bases located in your country are used against us, and when the United States carries out operations in the region relying on these forces, then we will target those bases. For these bases are not part of the land of those countries; rather, they are American soil.” (3/1/2026)
- America and the Zionist regime have scorched the heart of the Iranian nation. We will scorch their hearts… (3/1/2026)
- “TRUMP HAS BETRAYED “AMERICA FIRST” TO ADOPT ‘ISRAEL FIRST.’” (3/2/2026)
- “Iran, unlike the United States, has prepared itself for a long war…We will fiercely defend ourselves and our six thousand years old civilization regardless of the costs and will make the enemies sorry for their miscalculation.” (3/2/2026)
- “Trump’s wishful thinking has dragged the whole region into an unnecessarily war and now he is rightly worried about more American casualties. It is indeed very sad that he is sacrificing American treasure and blood to advance Netanyahu’s illegitimate expansionist ambitions.” (3/2/2026)
- “The story has not ended yet, and the martyrdom of Imam Khamenei will come at a heavy price for you, God willing.” (2/4/2026)
- “Some American officials have said that they intend to enter Iran on the ground with a few thousand troops. The valiant children of Imam Khomeini and Imam Khamenei are waiting for you to expose those corrupt American officials with a few thousand killed and captured. The land of Iran is no place for the hellish dance of demons.” (3/5/2026)
- “It has been reported to me that several American soldiers have been taken prisoner. But the Americans claim that they have been killed in action. Despite their futile efforts, the truth is not something they can hide for too long.” (3/7/2026)
- “When the enemy attacks us from bases in the region, we respond — and we will continue to respond. This is our right and a standing policy. Regional countries must either prevent the US from using their territory against Iran, or we will have no choice but to do it ourselves.” (3/7/2026)
- “Some American soldiers have been captured. They are lying that 5-6 American soldiers have been killed. Later, they will inflate the number of deaths under the pretext of an accident too.” (3/7/2026)
- “We won’t let #Trump off the hook; he must pay the price—he’s martyred our leader and our people. This isn’t a simple matter; we won’t let it go until we retaliate in kind.” (3/7/2026)
- “The Ashura-loving nation of Iran does not fear your hollow threats. Those greater than you could not eliminate the Iranian nation. Watch out for yourself lest you be eliminated!” (3/10/2026)
- “Trump has said ‘we can take apart Iran’s electric capacity within one hour, but we have not done it.’ Well, if they do that, the whole region will go dark in less than half an hour and darkness provides ample opportunity to hunt down US servicemen running for safety.” (3/12/2026)
- “Trump says he is looking for a speedy victory. While starting a war is easy, it cannot be won with a few tweets. We will not relent until making you sorry for this grave miscalculation. #TrumpMustPay” (3/12/2026)
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