Israel killed Iran’s top security official as well as the head of its paramilitary force, Iranian state media confirmed Tuesday, in a major double blow to Tehran’s leadership.
Ali Larijani ran Iran’s national security council and was seen as the country’s de facto leader after the former ayatollah was assassinated.
He was central to Tehran’s violent crackdown on protests in January, and was also known to possess the pragmatism and clout to negotiate with the US.
Despite the seismic hits to Iran’s power structure, the regime has “powerful incentives to pursue continued conflict,” an Atlantic Council expert wrote: It’s aiming to “impose such high costs” on the global economy that the US will settle for a ceasefire.