Ali Larijani, the veteran Iranian politician who announced on Sunday that a temporary leadership council would be formed after the airstrike that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has re-emerged over the past year as one of the most powerful figures within Tehran’s security hierarchy.

Larijani oversees a broad portfolio spanning nuclear negotiations, Tehran’s regional relations, and the suppression of internal unrest. Seen as a pillar of the establishment and a member of one of Iran’s most influential clerical families, he previously supervised Iran’s efforts to reach a nuclear deal with the United States—just one month after Washington imposed sanctions on him in January, accusing him of directing a violent crackdown on anti-government protests.

He accused the United States and Israel of attempting to loot and dismember Iran and warned “separatist groups” of a harsh response should they take any action, according to state television on Sunday—nearly 24 hours after a wave of attacks on Iran began. The strikes also killed Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi, according to state broadcaster Iran TV.

Larijani issued a direct warning to the U.S. and Israel. “Yesterday, Iran launched missiles at the United States and Israel and caused damage,” he wrote on X. “Today we will strike them with a force they have never experienced before.”

A pragmatist with deep experience

Appointed in August as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Larijani has held top posts throughout a career marked by loyalty to Khamenei and a reputation for pragmatism amid the system’s competing factions. His status as a trusted strategic partner of Khamenei was underscored last month by a trip to Oman—acting as a mediator—to prepare indirect talks with the United States, at a time when Washington was boosting its military presence in the Middle East to extract concessions from Tehran ahead of the strikes.

In recent months, Larijani has also made repeated visits to Moscow for security talks, signaling his return to high-level diplomacy.

The nuclear issue “can be resolved”

Larijani, who led the SNSC two decades ago, returned to the post after last year’s 12-day air war between Iran and Israel—in which the United States was also involved—formally re-entering the core of Iran’s security apparatus.

Some of his public remarks on the nuclear file have struck a pragmatic tone. “In my view, this issue can be resolved,” he said last month on Oman’s state television, referring to talks with the United States. “If the Americans’ concern is that Iran should not move toward acquiring a nuclear weapon, that can be addressed.” After the January wave of anti-government anger, however, Washington criticized his role on the security council.

According to a U.S. government statement announcing sanctions on Larijani and other officials, he stood at the forefront of efforts to suppress the protests that swept the country in January. “Larijani was among the first Iranian leaders to call for violence in response to the legitimate demands of the Iranian people,” the U.S. Treasury said on January 15, noting he acted on Khamenei’s orders. Human rights groups report thousands killed in the crackdown—the most severe internal unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Like other Iranian officials, Larijani said he understands protests driven by economic hardship but condemned armed actions he claimed were instigated by Israel. “Popular protests must be completely separated from these groups that resemble terrorists,” state media quoted him as saying on January 10. “The rioters constitute an urban semi-terrorist group,” he reportedly said on January 26.

A former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Larijani served as chief nuclear negotiator from 2005 to 2007, defending Iran’s right to enrich uranium. He once likened European incentives to abandon nuclear fuel production to “trading a pearl for a piece of candy.” At the time, analysts described him as a pragmatist seeking to persuade the West through diplomacy.

The United States and Israel believe Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon that could threaten Israel’s existence, while Tehran insists its program is purely peaceful.

Larijani served as speaker of parliament from 2008 to 2020. During his tenure, Iran reached the 2015 nuclear agreement with six major powers after nearly two years of negotiations. U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 during his first term.

He has warned that Iran’s nuclear program “can never be destroyed.” “Once you’ve discovered a technology, they can’t take that discovery away from you,” he said in September 2025 on PBS Frontline. “It’s like inventing a machine and having it stolen—you can build it again.”

Meetings with Putin and Chinese officials

Larijani has met repeatedly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, helping manage ties with a key ally and global power that serves as a counterweight to pressure from Trump. He also advanced talks with China that led to a 25-year cooperation agreement in 2021.

He ran unsuccessfully for president in 2005 and sought to run again in 2021 and 2024, but the Guardian Council barred him both times, citing concerns over living standards and family ties abroad.

Born in Najaf, Iraq, in 1958 to a prominent Iranian clerical family, Larijani moved to Iran as a child and earned a PhD in philosophy. Several of his brothers have also held senior posts, including in the judiciary and the foreign ministry.

One of his daughters was removed in January from a teaching position at the medical school of Emory University following protests by Iranian-American activists angered by her father’s role in suppressing demonstrations.

Propaganda videos from Iran

Meanwhile, Iranian state media released a propaganda video announcing plans to bomb U.S. bases across the Middle East using aging F-4 Phantom aircraft acquired in 1979. Around 60 U.S.-made aircraft are believed to remain in service.

Iran also announced it used Fattah-2 hypersonic cruise missiles for the first time in attacks on U.S. bases.