Israel murders Irans chief of security — a PhD holder who wrote many philosophical papers

Israel has murdered Ali Larijani, Iran’s chief of security, who was a PhD holder who wrote philosophical papers on Immanuel Kant — a man famous for his ideas on unconditional moral obligation.

Ali Larijani was martyred along with his son, one of his deputies, and a number of bodyguards after being targeted by American and Israeli warplanes at his daughter’s home in the Pardis area, Tehran. pic.twitter.com/VdtaafxA80

— Arya Yadeghaar (@AryJeay) March 17, 2026

According to Azer News:

Larijani combined an aristocratic religious background with a rigorous secular education. He earned degrees in mathematics and computer science at Sharif University of Technology, Iran’s premier technical school, before turning to philosophy. His doctoral work, unusual among Iranian power‑brokers, focused on Immanuel Kant, and he later published extensively on Kant’s philosophy, exploring the relationship between mathematical proof, metaphysics and rational inquiry.

Larijani and negotiations

Larijani was also regarded as one of the Iranian officials most likely to compromise on a peace deal.

Ali Larijani: Fast facts

Negotiated nuclear deals with West

Belonged to dynasty that Time magazine described as “Kennedys of Iran”

Joined IRGC before transitioning to government

Was often regarded as pragmatic and someone inside Iranian system who may be willing to compromise

— Clauda Tanios (@ClaudaTanios) March 17, 2026

Azer News noted that Larijani’s death would mark the end of “Tehran’s strategic calculus”. He was pragmatic and pro-diplomacy. It added that he was a “measured intellectual”, and was:

a bridge between Iran’s revolutionary ethos and its efforts to navigate a hostile international landscape, a thinker at ease both with complex philosophy and the raw realities of geopolitics.

Which means that once again, Israel has purposefully blown up one of the few people it could negotiate with.

Even one Israeli journalist, Ehud Ya’ari, said publicly that Israel’s murder of Larijani was the wrong move.

Of course, Ya’ari doesn’t realise that Israel doesn’t really want negotiations. It wants blood and a Greater Israel.

International law???

Importantly, murdering state and political leaders is illegal under international law.

Of course, we have already established (repeatedly) that Israel has no regard for International law, from bombing schools and hospitals to murdering healthcare workers and illegally invading Lebanon.

Araghchi on Larijani’s death: “I don’t know why America and Israel still haven’t understood that Iran will not be impacted by such killings of individuals.”

They literally do not know how to handle a nation who’s first language isn’t blowing people uppic.twitter.com/FWHqjWml9r

— Pistachio 🇮🇷 🇵🇸 (@HarleyShah) March 18, 2026

But unlike Israeli’s, who politicians hide in bomb shelters and flee the country when things get hard, Iranians are not scared of a few bombs.

For people asking why isn’t the senior leadership in bunkers hiding…

You have to understand the Iranian ideology.

No one is more important than anyone else…ie leadership over ordinary civilians. Everyone is equal and the war is for all of the country…equally.

In the…

— Pathfindr 🕊️ (@pathfinder_tua) March 17, 2026

Israel has a long history of assassinating its political opponents. As Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, said:

In wars, you don’t start by killing political leaders, including elected leaders. That programme of assassination is gangster, it’s terrorism, it’s not the norm of war.

Furthermore, the United States and Israel have not yet realised that the Iranian government does not rely on a single individual. Meaning, one death, or even several, will not destabilise its political system.

Larijani’s death is a loss for everyone, not just Iranians.

But Shia religious doctrine relies heavily on martyrdom and sacrifice. So, to Larijani, Israel murdering him would have gained him the highest honour.

Feature image via Al Jazeera English/ YouTube