Iran confirms deaths of senior security figures Larijani, Soleimani

2026-03-17 - 22:24

Iranian state media has confirmed that senior security figure Ali Larijani and Basij force commander Gholamreza Soleimani have been killed, prompting strong reactions from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to Al Jazeera and other reports, In a statement carried by Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC described Larijani as a “distinguished figure, thinker and revolutionary politician,” adding that his death would serve as “a source of honour, strength, and national awakening.” “The IRGC will certainly not forget the blood of this great martyr and other martyrs,” the statement said. In a separate announcement, the IRGC also confirmed the death of Soleimani, saying he was killed in an “attack by the American-Zionist enemy,” according to Tasnim. Soleimani, who had led the Basij paramilitary force for the past six years, was credited by the IRGC with playing a “strategic and unparalleled role” in strengthening the organization’s structure and overseeing internal security operations. The IRGC statement added that his killing underscored the Basij’s importance in what it described as an “all-out battle” against the United States and Israel, as well as their allies. The deaths come amid heightened regional tensions, with Iranian officials vowing that the killings will not go unanswered.