IRGC Spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naini Killed in US-Israeli Strike
Ali Mohammad Naini, the spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in overnight strikes carried out jointly by the United States and Israel, according to the IRGC statement released on March 20, 2026. The death of the 68-year-old brigadier general marks the latest in a series of assassinations of senior Iranian officials since the beginning of the recent conflict.
Who was Ali Mohammad Naini?
Naini assumed the role of IRGC spokesperson in 2024, bringing with him four decades of service in the Iranian military, including participation in the Iran–Iraq War according to Wikipedia. Prior to his position as spokesperson, he held senior roles within the IRGC, including cultural deputy and Basij’s cultural and social deputy. He was too a professor of social sciences at Imam Hossein University .
Naini was sanctioned by the United Kingdom in October 2024 following Iranian missile strikes on Israel . He was regarded as a leading expert within the IRGC on psychological warfare, soft power, and cognitive warfare .
Circumstances of His Death
The IRGC described Naini’s death as a “cowardly terrorist attack by the American-Zionist side” . The strike occurred in eastern Tehran, as the country was observing the Persian New Year, Nowruz, which coincided with Eid al-Fitr .
Naini’s Recent Statements
Just hours before his death, Naini appeared on national television, asserting Iran’s continued capacity to manufacture missiles despite wartime conditions . He stated, “Our missile industry deserves a perfect score… and there is no concern because even under wartime conditions we continue missile production.”
His comments came in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that Iran no longer had the capacity to enrich uranium or produce ballistic missiles .
Broader Context
Naini’s death follows the killings of other Iranian officials, including Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib, Iran’s Security Chief Ali Larijani, and Basij Paramilitary Force Chief Gholamreza Soleimani . Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the killings, stating that the “path” of the fallen officials would continue and be stronger than before .