Who Is Ali Larijani? Khamenei's Trusted Hand Central To Iran's Succession Plan

Last Updated:February 24, 2026, 11:01 IST

Khamenei has chosen Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, to serve as the temporary leader in the event that he and other high-ranking officials are killed

In the midst of rising tensions in the Middle East and rumours surrounding Iran’s leadership, one figure has come back into focus at the heart of power in Tehran: Ali Larijani. A seasoned insider with decades of experience in Iran’s military, security, and political apparatuses, Larijani has been given a crucial position by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, marking him out as one of the most trusted power-wielders in the Islamic Republic.

According to sources, Khamenei has chosen Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, to serve as the temporary leader in the event that he and other high-ranking officials are killed in a war.

Larijani was born in 1957 in Najaf, Iraq, to a leading Iranian religious family who moved back to Iran in 1961. He comes from a famous clerical family, which constitutes a political dynasty with strong roots in Iran’s establishment. Larijani finished his higher education in Iran, which included studies in mathematics, computer science, and subsequently philosophy at the University of Tehran.

According to a report by Mint, Larijani’s initial career was in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), where he worked as a commander during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, eventually attaining a high rank. He then shifted to government positions early in the Islamic Republic, holding deputy ministerial portfolios and heading government entities like the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) in the 1990s.

In the 2000s, Larijani took up high-profile positions in national politics. He was the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and Iran’s top nuclear negotiator in the mid-2000s. He was the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) from 2008 to 2020, a record-long period in that high-ranking legislative position.

Although he ran for the presidency in several elections, Larijani was disqualified by Iran’s clerical guardianship authorities in the 2021 and 2024 presidential elections.

In August 2025, Larijani was re-appointed as the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, with the approval of Khamenei, signifying his important position in Tehran’s security and foreign policy establishment. He has now become the most senior adviser and operational chief in Khamenei’s Iran, with his powers enhanced in the face of rising tensions with the United States and Israel.

According to recent reports, Larijani is an important player in Iran’s plans in case the Supreme Leader is assassinated or rendered incapable of ruling, with a leadership chain of command that would place him as an interim decision-maker. Although he is considered the front-runner to handle state business in such a scenario, he is not qualified to become the Supreme Leader since he is not an important Shi’ite cleric—a necessary prerequisite for holding this position in Iran’s constitution.

In Iran’s establishment circles, Larijani is recognised as an experienced conservative insider and a pragmatic negotiator who has interacted with regional and international leaders.

As the conflict mounts, Larijani has emerged as one of the most significant political leaders in Iran, aside from the clergy. With a long service record in military, political, and diplomatic positions, his current role as the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council puts him in the middle of Iran’s strategic decision-making, as it faces both domestic and external pressures.

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