Intelligence officials in the U.S. and Israel frequently described him as the “architect of the Iranian regime’s propaganda.” Public Domain
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has confirmed that its chief spokesperson, Ali Mohammad Naeini, was killed in an early Friday morning airstrike. Iranian state media reported the death of the 68-year-old official following a series of strikes that IRGC officials characterized as a “cowardly terrorist attack by American-Zionist forces.”
His death marks the latest blow in a ‘Black Week’ for the Iranian leadership. Just this past Tuesday, March 17, the deaths of Ali Larijani (Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council) and Gholam-Reza Soleimani (Commander of the Basij militia) were also confirmed.
The “voice” of the Revolutionary Guard
Naeini had served as the public face of the IRGC since July 2024. Intelligence officials in the U.S. and Israel frequently described him as the “architect of the Iranian regime’s propaganda,” responsible for shaping the Revolutionary Guard’s psychological operations and public messaging.
While the exact location of the strike has not been officially disclosed, reports indicate that joint U.S.-Israeli forces have been targeting strategic sites in Tehran and Karaj over the past several hours.
Naeini’s final public appearance was on Wednesday, March 18, during which he issued a stern warning to Iran’s adversaries. He claimed that Friday—marking the Islamic New Year—would “burn the enemies.”
Furthermore, just hours before his death, Naeini gave an interview to an Iranian newspaper refuting claims by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu regarding Iran’s missile manufacturing capabilities.
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