Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that Larijani, 67, died in the strike, while Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said earlier that he had been targeted and killed in an Israeli operation. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the circumstances of the attack.

Larijani, a prominent figure from a clerical family that rose to influence after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, held a series of senior roles across Iran’s political and security establishment.

A former commander in the Revolutionary Guard during the Iran-Iraq war, he later led the state broadcaster and served as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

He was also speaker of parliament for 12 years, consolidating his position as a key intermediary between Iran’s political factions and the office of the supreme leader.

As one of Khamenei’s trusted lieutenants, Larijani played a central role in shaping Iran’s nuclear strategy, which sought to advance atomic capabilities while avoiding direct confrontation with Western powers. He was a frequent interlocutor in negotiations, presenting Iran’s position in public and diplomatic settings.

His portfolio extended beyond nuclear policy to include managing regional alliances and overseeing internal security responses during periods of unrest.

Despite being viewed by some analysts as relatively pragmatic compared to other hardline figures, Larijani was accused by Western officials of involvement in the suppression of anti-government protests earlier this year. The crackdown, which resulted in thousands of deaths, led Washington to impose sanctions on him last month.

Following the launch of U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, Larijani publicly accused Iran’s adversaries of attempting to destabilize and weaken the country, while warning against domestic dissent.

His death comes amid intensifying military exchanges that have targeted senior Iranian figures, raising questions about the resilience of Tehran’s leadership structure and the future direction of its security and nuclear policies.

“In a precise strike in Tehran: The IDF eliminated the Commander of the Basij Unit,” the Israeli military said in a statement, adding that Soleimani had led the Basij for the past six years.

It said the operation was carried out by the Israeli Air Force based on intelligence.Israeli media reported that Larijani, a senior figure in Iran’s political and security establishment, was also targeted for assassination, though no confirmation on his status was immediately available.

The Basij is a volunteer paramilitary force operating under Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and has played a central role in enforcing internal security.

Israel’s military said the Basij had led “main repression operations” during recent mass protests in Iran, which it cited as part of the rationale for the strike.

Iran experienced widespread unrest that peaked in January, with demonstrations challenging the clerical establishment. According to rights groups, the crackdown that followed resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests.

The Israeli military said the strikes were part of broader operations that yielded “significant preventive achievements overnight,” quoting Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir.

The targeting of senior Iranian figures in Tehran, if confirmed, would mark a notable escalation in Israel’s operations, extending beyond regional proxy engagements into direct action within Iran’s capital.

There was no immediate response from Iranian authorities regarding the reported strikes or casualties.

The government-approved measure will increase the monthly minimum wage from 103 million rials to 166 million rials, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported, citing Iran’s labor minister. The adjustment will take effect in the upcoming Persian calendar year, which begins in the coming days.

Iran revises its minimum wage annually to reflect inflationary pressures, which have surged amid tightening international sanctions and economic disruption linked to tensions with Israel and the United States. The Iranian rial has sharply depreciated in recent months, with the currency trading at around 1.47 million rials to the U.S. dollar, according to the monitoring website Bonbast.

The wage increase comes as households across the country grapple with rising living costs and a steep fall in the value of the national currency. Iranian authorities said the new wage level was approved by the government following consultations over compensation adjustments tied to inflation.

Tasnim also reported that the government would implement a comparable increase in child support benefits as part of the broader wage revision package.

The announcement follows months of anti-government protests that began in December last year, initially triggered by public frustration over the high cost of living and the weakening currency.

Demonstrations quickly expanded into a broader nationwide movement calling for the end of Iran’s clerical leadership, which has governed the country since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Authorities responded with a crackdown that rights groups say resulted in thousands of deaths. During the unrest, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Washington could intervene militarily while urging Iranians to challenge the country’s leadership.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed that contacts with Iran were taking place but suggested negotiations had yet to reach a decisive stage. “Yes, we’re talking to them,” Trump said when asked whether diplomatic efforts were underway to end the conflict. “But I don’t think they’re ready

. But they are getting pretty close.”The war, which has rattled global markets and spread across parts of the Middle East, intensified after coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets on Feb. 28. The opening day of the campaign killed several senior Iranian officials, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Trump offered few details about the nature or level of the contacts, and suggested uncertainty about who currently represents Iran’s leadership after the initial strikes.“I’m not sure I want to make a deal, because first of all nobody even knows who you’re dealing with, because most of their leadership has been killed,” he said.

Iranian officials, however, rejected the notion that talks were underway.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was not engaged in negotiations with Washington and criticized the United States for pursuing diplomacy after launching military strikes.“We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people,” Araghchi said in an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation” broadcast on Sunday.

“We don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us,” he added. “There is no good experience talking with Americans.”Trump nonetheless maintained that Iranian authorities were seeking an agreement to end hostilities.

“They want to make a deal badly,” he said, without elaborating on possible terms or channels for future negotiations.

The conflicting statements highlight uncertainty over whether diplomatic efforts could emerge alongside the continuing military confrontation that has expanded across the region since late February.

The Guards said in a statement published on their official Sepah News website that Netanyahu would remain a target of Iran’s forces, accusing him of responsibility for the deaths of civilians amid the ongoing conflict.

“If this child-killing criminal is alive, we will continue to pursue and kill him with full force,” the IRGC said, referring to the Israeli premier.

The statement reflects a sharp escalation in language from Iran’s elite military force as the confrontation involving Iran, Israel and the United States widens. Iranian officials have repeatedly accused Israel of attacks against Iranian interests and leadership figures, while Israel says it is acting to neutralize threats posed by Tehran and its regional allies.

.The IRGC, which answers directly to Iran’s Supreme Leader and wields significant influence over the country’s military operations abroad, has often issued warnings against Israeli leadership during periods of heightened tensions.

The threat comes as the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed forces has expanded beyond their borders, drawing in the United States and affecting multiple countries across the Middle East.

Regional tensions have surged following a series of strikes and counter-strikes involving Israeli forces, Iranian military assets and allied groups.

Governments and international organizations have warned that the conflict risks further destabilizing an already volatile region.

Netanyahu has been a central figure in Israel’s security policy toward Iran, repeatedly warning about Tehran’s military capabilities and its support for armed groups across the Middle East.

Iranian leaders, in turn, have blamed Israel for attacks on Iranian personnel and infrastructure, including alleged covert operations targeting Iranian military and nuclear facilities.

Speaking to state television while marching among demonstrators supporting the Palestinian cause, Larijani said the attacks reflected fear rather than strength.

“These attacks are out of fear, out of desperation. One who is strong wouldn’t bomb demonstrations at all. It’s clear that it has failed,” Larijani said.

Larijani’s presence at the rally marked one of the highest-profile appearances by an Iranian official since a Feb. 28 strike that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with other senior officials, according to Iranian authorities.

Footage broadcast by Iranian state television showed large crowds gathering in Tehran for the annual Quds Day event, which is held each year to express support for Palestinians.

Also present at the rally was Ahmad-Reza Radan, Iran’s national police chief, according to images aired by state media.

Iranian media reported that a woman was killed after a U.S.-Israeli airstrike struck the vicinity of the demonstration on Friday.

The strike occurred near the location of the rally in the Iranian capital, although further details about the circumstances were not immediately available.

The demonstration took place amid ongoing hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States, with repeated air strikes and missile attacks reported across the region.

Public events such as the Quds Day march have historically been used by Iranian officials to express political positions on regional conflicts, particularly the Palestinian issue.

The U.N. health agency said it had received multiple reports this week of oil-contaminated rainfall after attacks on energy infrastructure triggered large fires and heavy smoke over the capital, Tehran.

Thick black smoke engulfed parts of Tehran on Monday after an oil refinery was hit in an escalation of strikes targeting Iran’s domestic energy supplies amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli campaign.

“Black rain and the acidic rain coming with it is indeed a danger for the population, respiratory mainly,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters during a briefing in Geneva.

He said Iranian authorities had advised residents to remain indoors due to deteriorating air quality conditions.

Asked whether the WHO supported the recommendation, Lindmeier said the guidance was appropriate given the environmental risks linked to damaged oil infrastructure.

“Given what is at risk right now, the oil storage facilities, the refineries that have been struck, triggering fires and bringing serious air quality concerns, that is definitely a good idea,” he said.

The WHO maintains an office in Iran and works with local authorities to coordinate responses to health emergencies.

A video shared with Reuters by a WHO staff member showed a cleaner mopping up a black liquid at the entrance of the organization’s office in Tehran on March 8, which the staff member said was residue from the reported oil-laden rainfall.

The agency said it continues to monitor the situation and maintain contact with Iranian health authorities as reports of environmental fallout from the refinery strike emerge.

Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters during a press conference in Doral, Florida, where he was asked about Iran’s leadership transition after the death of the longtime cleric who had led the Islamic Republic for decades.

Trump said the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei was unlikely to bring meaningful change to Iran’s political direction.

“We think it’s going to lead to just more of the same problem for the country,” Trump said, referring to ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran.

His comments marked the first public reaction from the U.S. president since Iranian authorities confirmed Mojtaba Khamenei as the successor to his father.

During the exchange with reporters, Trump was asked whether the new Iranian leader might be considered a potential military target amid escalating hostilities in the region.

Trump declined to elaborate, saying it would be “inappropriate” to comment on whether Mojtaba Khamenei had a “target on his back.

”The remarks came as relations between the United States and Iran remain strained amid a widening regional conflict and heightened political tensions surrounding Iran’s leadership change.

In a statement posted in Farsi on social media platform X, the Israeli military said it would continue to target “every successor” to Khamenei. The statement also warned individuals involved in the process of appointing the Islamic Republic’s next supreme leader that they would be pursued.The warning came as Iran’s clerical body responsible for choosing the country’s top authority prepared to meet to decide who will replace Khamenei.succession process in focusIran’s supreme leader is selected by the Assembly of Experts, a clerical council tasked with appointing and supervising the country’s highest political and religious authority. The position carries sweeping influence over Iran’s armed forces, judiciary and key strategic decisions.The Israeli statement signals a direct attempt to pressure the succession process as uncertainty grows over Iran’s leadership structure following Khamenei’s reported death.mounting regional tensionsThe escalation reflects sharply rising tensions between Israel and Iran, whose rivalry has increasingly played out through military strikes, covert operations and regional confrontations.

Israeli officials have repeatedly said they will act against Iranian leadership, military infrastructure and networks they view as threats to Israel’s security.political uncertainty in TehranThe prospect of a leadership transition in Iran has heightened scrutiny of the country’s political institutions. The Assembly of Experts holds the constitutional authority to select a new supreme leader, a process that can shape the direction of Iran’s domestic governance and foreign policy.Israel’s latest warning suggests the confrontation could extend beyond military targets to the political mechanisms overseeing Iran’s leadership transition.

In a post on the social media platform X written in Farsi, the Israeli military said it would continue to pursue “every successor” to Khamenei. The message also warned individuals involved in the process of appointing a new supreme leader that they could be targeted.The warning comes as Iran’s clerical body responsible for selecting the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader prepares to convene to determine Khamenei’s successor.Leadership succession under scrutinyIran’s supreme leader is selected by the Assembly of Experts, a clerical body tasked with appointing and overseeing the country’s highest authority.

The leader holds ultimate power over Iran’s military, judiciary and key state institutions.Israel’s statement suggests it is seeking to deter or disrupt the succession process following the reported killing of Khamenei in joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.Regional tensions intensifyThe remarks underscore mounting regional tensions as Iran faces a leadership vacuum and uncertainty over its political future.Israel has repeatedly warned it would act against Iranian leadership and military structures it views as threats to its security.