Who was Ali Larijani, Iran's unofficial strongman?

"Some 24 hours after the United States and Israel launched war on Iran, Larijani took to national television and social media to decry the two nations for setting "the heart of the Iranian nation ablaze." "We will burn their hearts," he said. "We will make the Zionist criminals and the shameless Americans regret their actions.""

"While such fiery comments weren't exactly out of character for Larijani, he had also built an international reputation as a pragmatist. During his decades-long political career, he established himself both as a ruthless powerbroker within the regime and as a competent negotiator dealing with Russia, China and even the US."

"However, he was part of a family with deep religious and political ties within the regime, once described by Time magazine as the "Kennedys of Iran." Larijani's father was a grand ayatollah. Ali Larijani's brother Sadeq Ardeshir Larijani has also reached the ayatollah rank while building a political career."

Ali Larijani, chief of Iran's supreme national security council, was killed in an Israeli airstrike and confirmed dead by Iranian authorities. He was the most senior Iranian figure killed since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died in an Israeli strike on February 28. Larijani was trusted by Khamenei to ensure regime survival and briefly held a top position in Iran's hierarchy following Khamenei's death before Mojtaba Khamenei was named new supreme leader. Despite fiery rhetoric condemning the US and Israel, Larijani built an international reputation as a pragmatist and skilled negotiator with Russia, China, and the US. He came from a prominent political family with deep religious ties, described as the "Kennedys of Iran," though he was not a cleric himself.

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