TEHRAN: The assassination of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) leader Ali Larijani in an alleged Israeli strike has left Tehran’s security establishment reeling — and raised the urgent question of who will step into his shoes.
Larijani, a former parliament speaker and one of the most seasoned figures in Iran’s power structure, was widely seen as a stabilising force within the SNSC. His sudden death has created a vacuum at the very heart of Iran’s strategic decision-making. Some strategists argue he was the key figure holding together fragile peace negotiations.
Western diplomats covering the Middle East say Saeed Jalili — the Supreme Leader’s Personal Representative to the SNSC, a veteran of Iran’s nuclear talks, and a staunch loyalist of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — is being tipped as the most probable successor. His reputation as a hardliner, coupled with his close ties to the clerical establishment, make him a natural candidate to inherit Larijani’s mantle.
Diplomats believe Larijani’s removal and Jalili’s likely elevation mark another step in the “hardening” of the Iranian regime. Not weakening, but hardening.
Observers add that Jalili’s rise would signal continuity rather than change. “He embodies the uncompromising posture that Tehran has maintained in the face of Western pressure,” one analyst noted, suggesting his appointment would likely harden Iran’s stance on both nuclear talks and regional conflicts.
The assassination has already sparked vows of retaliation from Iranian officials, while Israel has remained silent. Regional capitals are bracing for fallout, fearing the incident could ignite a fresh cycle of confrontation across the Middle East.
