President of Iran confirms death of country’s intelligence minister in attack

The death of the head of Intelligence increases the escalation, after attacks that had already killed other senior officials of the Iranian regime

Iranian Presidency / AFP
This photo provided by the Iranian Presidency shows President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian giving a speech on the anniversary of the death of the country’s former supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini at the latter’s mausoleum in Tehran on June 3, 2025. (Iranian Presidency Photo/AFP) / === RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – CREDIT REQUIRED “AFP PHOTO / HO / IRANIAN PRESIDENCY” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS ===

The president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, confirmed this Wednesday, 18, the attacks attributed to Israel. The Iranian leader classified the episode as a “cowardly murder” and stated that the death put the country in mourning.

“I am sure that your path will continue with more determination than ever,” he said in the publication.

The death of the head of Intelligence increases the escalation, after attacks that had already killed other senior officials of the Iranian regime.

The offensive comes in the wake of Israeli bombings that had already killed Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of a militia aligned with the Revolutionary Guards.

On the Israeli side, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the country’s forces were responsible for Khatib’s death. “Last night, Iran’s intelligence minister was also eliminated,” he said in a statement.

The war between the United States and Israel against Iran has entered its 19th day and killed at least 1,300 people in Iran, more than 900 in Lebanon and 14 in Israel, according to officials in those countries. The U.S. military says 13 U.S. service members were killed and about 200 were injured.

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