The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed on Tuesday (local time) to have killed Iran’s Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij unit, the internal security paramilitary militia of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
In a post on X, the IDF wrote: “BASIJ UNIT COMMANDER. Yesterday, the IDF targeted and killed Gholamreza Soleimani, who has served as the Basij unit commander for the past 6 years. Under Soleimani, the Basij unit has led major repressive operations in Iran, using heavy-handed violence, widespread arrests of civilians and protesters.”
However, Iran has not yet commented on the IDF’s claims.
Everything you need to know about Basij and Gholamreza Soleimani
According to an AP report, US Treasury records list Soleimani’s birth year as 1965. The United States, the European Union and other countries have imposed sanctions on him for his alleged involvement in suppressing dissent through the Basij unit.
According to an Al Jazeera report, the Basij is a volunteer paramilitary force under the IRGC that was established after the 1979 revolution. The Basij was tasked with enforcing internal security throughout the country. This volunteer paramilitary unit is responsible for running local branches in Iranian cities and is also deployed on the front lines of protests to enforce repression. These include anti-government demonstrations that erupted across Iran in January, in which thousands of people were reportedly killed, as well as mass protests in 2009, when opponents claimed the presidential election had been rigged.
Israel attacked Ali Larijani
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the IDF also killed Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, along with Soleimani. Pending confirmation from Tehran on whether the two leaders are alive or not, killing them would deprive Tehran of important leaders as the Islamic Republic faces its biggest test in decades.
After Israel killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an airstrike on the first day of the war, Larijani was considered one of the most powerful figures in the country.
According to an AP report, Larijani comes from one of Iran’s most influential and famous political families. He was a former speaker of parliament and a senior political adviser who was appointed to advise Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration. It was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department at the beginning of this January after Tehran violently suppressed nationwide protests. Larijani was identified as “responsible for coordinating the response to the protests on behalf of the Supreme Leader of Iran”.
The killing of these two leaders is likely to escalate the conflict in the Middle East.
The end of the American-Iranian conflict in sight
On February 28, the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran targeting its key naval and military forces. The move came days after a third round of talks between Washington and Tehran over its nuclear program ended. The strikes prompted Tehran to retaliate, targeting US military installations in the Persian Gulf region and plunging the region into a wider military confrontation.
According to an AP report, Iran struck a tanker anchored off the coast of Fujairah on Tuesday, making it one of 20 vessels hit since the start of the war. Iran’s decision to consistently attack the Gulf countries and its tight grip on the Strait of Hormuz, which is responsible for 20% of the world’s oil supply, has now raised fears of a global energy crisis.
