Naini’s death was confirmed by the IRGC, which described the attack as a “criminal cowardly terrorist act by the American-Zionist side,” AFP reported, citing the Guards’ statement on the Sepah News website.
The killing occurred just hours after Naini’s remarks against the US and Israel were reported by local media. Speaking to Fars News Agency, he praised Iran’s missile industry, asserting that production continues even under wartime conditions. “Our missile industry deserves a perfect score… there is no concern in this regard, because even under wartime conditions we continue missile production,” he said.
Naini added that Iran’s missile capabilities had reached “the highest levels” and hinted at further actions, saying, “There are surprises coming for the enemy, and as the battles progress, they will become more complex and intense.”
Fourth Major Blow to Iran in One Week
Naini’s death marks the fourth major blow to Iran’s government and military leadership in the past week. Earlier, top officials Ali Larijani, Gholamreza Soleimani, and Esmail Khatib were killed in separate strikes, significantly impacting Tehran’s command structure.
The recent escalation began after US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets on February 28. This week, the conflict intensified with Israel reportedly striking the South Pars gas field, while Iran retaliated by targeting the world’s largest LNG plant, Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility.
Although Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for the South Pars attack, former US President Donald Trump attributed it to Israel and warned that further attacks on Iranian gas infrastructure would provoke a US response. He also threatened to “massively blow up the entirety” of the field if Iran continued targeting Qatar’s energy facilities.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had earlier promised more “surprises” after Israel killed Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, in an airstrike, as part of efforts to weaken Tehran’s leadership.
The recent series of strikes represents a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, raising concerns over further destabilization in the Gulf region.
