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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has asserted that the political infrastructure of the nation remains a "very solid structure" and will not suffer a "fatal blow to Iran's leadership" following the confirmed killing of Ali Larijani.
Larijani, who was the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, was a pivotal figure in Tehran's security apparatus. In an interview with Al Jazeera, which was broadcast after the death of Larijani was confirmed by Tehran early on Wednesday, Araghchi asserted that the United States and Israel have yet to realise that the Iranian government "does not rely on a single individual." "I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions," Araghchi said. The Foreign Minister emphasised that the "presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure." He noted that while "individuals are influential, and each person plays their role--some better, some worse, some less--but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure." Araghchi highlighted the earlier loss of the country's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial phase of US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. He remarked that despite the immense national loss, "the system continued" to function. "We have not had anyone more important than the leader himself, and even the leader was martyred, yet the system continued its work and immediately provided a replacement," the minister said. He further maintained that "if anyone else is martyred, it will be the same," adding that "if the foreign minister were ever to be martyred, there would ultimately be someone else to take the position." The death of the 67-year-old Larijani, a close associate of the late Ali Khamenei and his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, occurred following an attack on Monday night. This represents the loss of the most senior figure in Tehran's leadership since the conflict began 19 days ago. Additionally, Iranian state media confirmed on Tuesday that Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij forces, was also killed in an "American-Zionist enemy" attack. Soleimani had led the internal security force for six years and was considered a key figure in the military response. Araghchi reiterated that the escalating conflict across the region was not initiated by Tehran. "I will repeat: This war is not our war," the minister stated. "We did not start it. The United States started it and is responsible for all the consequences of this war--human and financial--whether for Iran, for the region, or for the entire world," Araghchi said, adding that "the United States must be held accountable." (ANI)
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