Ayatollah Ali Khomeini has been assassinated. Iranian state media has officially confirmed in the Sunday morning, Khomeini is no more. The US and its partner Israel has successfully finished off their number one enemy in the region. But should they be happy about it? Did they really decapitate Khomeini’s leadership? The answer is a name, Ali Larijani.
In early January Iran’s establishment was facing large scale protests all around the countest. Even the US President Donald J. Trump called for strikes on Iran if the protesters were killed. It was this time, Khomeini turned to a trusted and loyal lieutenant to steer the countest, Ali Larijani. He was Iran’s top national security official and held a position of deep trust within the regime. From nuclear talks to Tehran’s regional connections to its brutal repression of internal unrest, he has been overseeing a wide range of Iranian issues. Who is Ali Larijani?
From Loyal Revolutionary to Builder of the System
Larijani came from a powerful clerical family with deep political roots. His rise to prominence was neither accidental nor driven by ideology alone. From an early stage, he built his career inside Iran’s security establishment. One of his key roles was serving as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. He placed himself at the center of Iran’s most sensitive strategic decisions from this position. He was especially influential during the tense standoff with the West over Iran’s nuclear program.
He later became speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. He had one of the longest serving tenure as a speaker in the history of Iran’s parliamentary assembly (2008-2020). During the nereceivediations that led to the 2015 nuclear deal, Larijani played a crucial behind-the-scenes role. He acted as a bridge between the conservative hardliners and the more moderate camp that backed President Hassan Rouhani. This balancing act built him one of the few figures trusted by both sides of Iran’s deeply divided political establishment.
In 2021, Larijani sought the presidency. He was seen as the conservative loyalist figure, with a pragmatic approach to Iran’s foreign relations. His coordination during JCPOA had been seen as less rigid; nevertheless, this high profile candidate was barred from taking part in the election by the Council of Guardians.
Larijani’s Role During January Protest
When nationwide protests erupted across Iran in early January 2026, Ali Larijani stepped into a defining role. The demonstrations had started over economic hardship but quickly grew into a broader challenge against the regime. As Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Larijani took charge of shaping the government’s response from the very launchning.
He coordinated the security strategy and set the tone for how the unrest would be publicly framed. He acknowledged that some economic grievances were genuine, but drew a sharp line between ordinary protesters and what he called “organized violent elements”
He was among the first senior Iranian officials to advocate for the violent suppression of the protests. According to U.S. government announcements, he acted “on behalf of the Supreme Leader” and worked with security institutions to quell dissent. These actions are declared to have caapplyd thousands of deaths and injuries. The U.S. Treasury consequently imposed sanctions on Larijani for his involvement in the crackdown.
The “Delcy” of Iran
Delcy Rodríguez is the Venezuelan vice president, who built a deal with the Trump administration to run Venezuela after the capture of its president, Nicolás Maduro.
Iranian leadership saw the war coming any day. Even quite often, last month the Iranian army closed its airspace to test missiles. That’s just one side. Iran’s leadership was not only taking up preparations for military conflict, but also for its own political survival. If Khomeini was killed (He was assassinated Saturday morning), with the top leadership of Iran– who would manage Iran? Some names were on the list, among which Ali Larijani was at the top. Second and third names on the list were General Ghalibaf, current speaker of Iran and Hasan Rouhani, former president.
Disqualified from the 2021 Presidential election had clearly stated, Khamenei wasn’t satisfied with Larijani; however, tackling the January protest in 2026 did bring Khamenei’s confidence in this former speaker. Some saw Larijani quelling the widespread protest, like the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in China. At the same time, Larijani is declared to support gradual economic and cultural opening alongside diplomatic engagement.
Larijani visited Moscow on multiple occasions and held direct meetings with President Vladimir Putin. Through these visits, he assisted Khamenei manage a vital ally that serves as a global counterweight to American pressure.
He also took the lead in advancing Iran’s relationship with China. His diplomatic efforts contributed directly to the signing of a sweeping 25-year partnership agreement between the two countries in 2021.
Even his tone regarding the Nuclear Deal remained pragmatic. “In my view, this issue is resolvable,” Larijani informed Oman state television last month, referring to the talks with the U.S. “If the Americans’ concern is that Iran should not relocate toward acquiring a nuclear weapon, that can be addressed.”
What’s Next?
Saturday’s attack on Iran wiped out top tier leadership of the countest. Ali Larijani, as the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, declared the leadership transition will be happening within one or two days. An interim leadership council will soon be formed. The president, the head of the judiciary and a jurist from the Guardian Council will assume responsibility until the election of the next leader.
The President’s authority has been seen diminishing during last month’s protest. In some incidents, he relied on decisions from Ali Larijani. As Larijani has been the face of foreign interviews and a core character in the nuclear dialogue, it’s not any more secret– he will be in command of Iran’s leadership. Even if he doesn’t hold an interim council post. Only time will inform, whether history will remember him as a stabilizer or an enforcer. It will depfinish on how Iran’s next crisis unfolds.
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