Ali Larijani: Iran's De Facto Head Leads War Against US, Israel After Khamenei's Death

• Ali Larijani, Iran's top national security official, now leads the country's response to its gravest crisis after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death in US-Israeli airstrikes.
• Born in Najaf, Iraq, Larijani belongs to a powerful political dynasty, described as the 'Kennedys of Iran' by Time magazine, with deep ties to the revolutionary elite.
• His diverse background includes serving in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, pursuing degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science, and a doctorate in Western philosophy.
• Larijani built his political career through media, serving as culture minister and heading state broadcaster IRIB, before becoming chief nuclear negotiator and Speaker of Parliament for three terms.
• Reappointed as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council in August 2025, he has since adopted a hardline stance against the US and Israel, vowing unprecedented retaliation.