Iran holds mass funeral for Ali Larijani, Basij head Soleimani

Iran is holding a mass funeral for officials killed by Israel, including Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force. Both were killed in Israeli airstrikes overnight Monday-Tuesday.

Larijani was supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s right-hand man and was seen as the de facto leader of the country since the late ayatollah’s killing on the first day of the war.

The first image of the coffin of martyr Ali Larijani alongside his son at the Tehran Martyrs' Ascension Center pic.twitter.com/cNmMHKj8Dl

— Iran Screenshot (@iranscreenshot) March 18, 2026

Soleimani’s oppressive Basij force is a key arm of the regime used to control the population, and he is believed to be responsible for the deaths of many thousands of civilians.