Iran has confirmed the killing of the country's security chief, Ali Larijani, reluctantly and several hours after Israel first claimed they killed one of the most prominent leaders in Iran, on Tuesday.
Iran's Fars news agency said that he was targeted by "American and Zionist regime fighter jets" while he was at his daughter's house in Pardis district, east of Tehran. Much has been spoken and written about Larijani, 67, but the world knows little about the family that the man has left behind.
Larijani married Farideh Motahhari when he was 20, and together the couple have four children: Morteza Larijani, Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, Mohammad Reza Larijani and Sarah Larijani. Moretza is believed to have been killed along with his father in Israeli airstrikes. He is believed to have been working for his father's office, holding a crucial position.
Green Card-Holding Daughter
Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani is a cancer doctor and holds a green card while she worked as an Assistant Professor at Emory University's medical school in Atlanta. She had trained and practised medicine in the United States, including positions at University Hospitals Cleveland and later at Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute.
Fatemeh was, however, terminated from her position at Emory University in January this year after an online campaign pressured the university to terminate and deport her. Whether she was deported or not remains unclear.
Also Read: Who Was Ali Larijani? Iran Confirms Security Chief Killed In Israeli Strike
The other siblings, Sara and Mohammez Reza, have maintained low profiles, and not much is known about them in public circles. Fatemeh's US education and a greencard has brought focus back on reports that have accused Iran's ruling elite of using state resources to secure the future of their adult children, living in the West.
The Guardian report in February quoted a Helsinki-based Iranian writer and human rights activist, Kambiz Ghafouri, as saying, "They made Iran a hell for Iranian citizens and sent their children to the West to live happily. If there were a referendum voting on whether people want the children of the Iranian authorities sent back to Iran, I think more than 90% would say yes."
Larijani's family has belonged to the ruling elite for quite a while now. Larijani's father, Grand Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli, was a respected jurist, lending his sons early scholarly credibility. His brothers have held key positions, most notably Sadeq Larijani, a jurist and former head of the judiciary, who served on major constitutional bodies and was at times considered a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Also Read: Will Larijani Killing Weaken Chance Of US Exit Strategy For Iran War?
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