Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesman Naini killed in Israeli strike

Ali Mohammad Naini, the spokesman for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in an Israeli airstrike, Iranian state media confirmed on Friday.

Iranian media confirmed that Naini, who had served as the IRGC’s official spokesman and deputy head of the force’s public relations department, was struck down in the attack. He had taken on the role in July 2024 and also lectured in social sciences at Imam Hossein University, according to reports.

State news agencies described him as “martyr Ali Mohammad Naini,” reflecting Tehran’s characterization of his death as part of Iran’s defense against what it calls hostile actions by Israel and its allies.

SANCTIONS BACKGROUND

In October 2024, the British government imposed sanctions on Naini under its Iran sanctions regime, freezing any assets and imposing travel bans as part of a broader response to Iran’s actions in the Middle East. The United Kingdom’s sanctions list named him among senior Iranian military figures targeted for their roles in activities deemed destabilising to regional security.

CONFLICT CONTEXT

Naini’s death comes amid a deepening Israel-Iran confrontation, which has seen sustained airstrikes, retaliatory missile and drone launches, and significant casualties on both sides and across the region. The conflict has also drawn in US forces and affected neighbouring countries, exacerbating tensions in the Gulf and beyond.

The targeting of high‑level IRGC officials underscores an intensification of military operations and signals that command and communication figures within Iran’s security apparatus are increasingly in the crosshairs. The news of Naini’s killing comes days after the martyrdom of Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani.