Ali Larijani, arguably the most influential civilian leader in Iran today, has been killed in the US-Israeli strikes. The Iranian state radio and the Supreme National Security Council confirmed the death of Larijani, which occurred yesterday. Larijani is said to have been on a private visit on the outskirts of Tehran when the missiles struck.
Regime Change in Iran is a US Priority
US President Donald Trump has consistently said that he wants to see regime change in Iran. In line with that, the war that began on February 28th, 2026, prioritized the elimination of senior Iranian leaders and managed to kill several of them in the first week.
The first senior victim was the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whom the US-Israel strikes hit at his office compound on the first day of the war. Then followed other senior leaders, religious and military.
The death of Ali Larijani must be a big relief to Donald Trump, who is currently facing the challenge of a closed oil passage, the Strait of Hormuz.
The world is blaming Trump for the escalating oil prices, which have already hit a $100 per barrel. It is clear he started the war without considering crucial possible outcomes, including the potential of Iran restricting the use of the central water passage, the Hormuz.
Larijani has been in favor of keeping the Hormuz Strait closed, so by eliminating him, the US sees Iran’s resistance weakened.
Larijani has also been a crucial link between the government of President Masoud Pezeshkian and the various leadership councils, and his elimination is intended to destabilize Iran’s overall leadership.
Larijani also had a defiant spirit, and together with the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, must have strengthened Iran’s resolve to fight on and not give in to the aggressors, the US and Israel.
No Guarantees of War Ending
Larijani’s death does not guarantee that Iran will surrender. Nor is it a guarantee that the country will reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
It is important to understand that Iran is not run conventionally. Its affairs are not run the Western way, nor are they run like those of any other Gulf country.
Its leadership is complex, and even with a civilian government in place, the military under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remains central to what happens at the top.
For instance, the war response strategy has not been under Pezeshkian’s influence but under the IRG’s. Hence, it is too early for the US and Israel to celebrate, even with the death of Larijani. Strategic military strikes like the one that rendered Dubai International Airport closed for several hours on Monday could continue.