DUBAI/JERUSALEM, March 17 (Reuters) – Israel said on Tuesday it had killed Iran’s security chief, the most senior figure targeted since the war’s first day, while a senior Iranian official said the new supreme leader had rejected de-escalation offers conveyed by intermediary countries.
Iran did not immediately comment on Israel’s announcement it had killed Ali Larijani, widely viewed as one of Iran’s most powerful figures and a confidant of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son and successor, Mojtaba.
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In a sign of Iran’s continued defiance after more than two weeks of war, the senior Iranian official who asked not to be identified said the younger Khamenei had rejected proposals that were conveyed to Iran’s Foreign Ministry for “reducing tensions or ceasefire with the United States”. The official did not give further details.
The official said Mojtaba Khamenei had held his first foreign policy session since being named supreme leader, and had declared that it was not “the right time for peace until the United States and Israel are brought to their knees, accept defeat, and pay compensation”.
He did not clarify whether the younger Khamenei, who has not yet been pictured since being named last week to replace his slain father, had attended the meeting in person or remotely.
The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is now in its third week, with at least 2,000 people killed and no end in sight.
The Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed off and U.S. allies have rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s calls for them to help to reopen the vital waterway, through which about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows.
Trump has called on allies to provide military assistance to ease the global economic impact by reopening the strait. Most NATO allies have informed the U.S. they don’t want to get involved in the conflict, Trump said on Tuesday, describing their position as “a very foolish mistake.”
“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, also singling out Japan, Australia and South Korea.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday that nobody was ready to risk the lives of their people in protecting the strait.
“We have to find diplomatic ways to keep this open so that we don’t have a food crisis, fertilizers crisis, energy crisis as well,” Kallas said.
Oil prices rose about 2% on Tuesday as Iran renewed its strikes on oil facilities in the United Arab Emirates, and are up around 45% since the start of the war, raising concerns of a renewed spike in global inflation.
ISRAEL TARGETS IRAN’S SECURITY OFFICIALS
The killing of Larijani, if confirmed, would make him the most senior figure killed by Israel and the United States since the war’s first day when they killed the supreme leader, other members of his family and other senior officials.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces had killed Larijani, as well as Gholamreza Soleimani who led the volunteer Basij militia, which plays a major role in domestic security.
