New Delhi, March 18 -- Iranian state media has reported on Tuesday (March 17) that Ali Larijani, one of the country's top security officials, has been killed, marking a major development in the escalating conflict.

Larijani was a powerful political figure who rose in influence after the reported death of Ali Khamenei in an earlier airstrike.

A former parliamentary speaker and senior adviser, Larijani played a key role in nuclear negotiations and was sanctioned by the US Treasury for allegedly "coordinating" the suppression of protests.

Israel had earlier announced that Larijani was killed in an overnight strike, alongside senior Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. The confirmation from Iranian state media now aligns with Israel's cla...