Iran Official Ali Shamkhani Killed in US-Israel Attacks

Former Iranian Defence Minister and Secretary of Iran’s Defence Council Killed in Israeli and US Strikes

Ali Shamkhani, a senior Iranian official and secretary of Iran’s Defence Council, has reportedly been killed in strikes carried out by Israel and the United States. According to an Israeli military spokesperson, Shamkhani was among several top Iranian officials targeted on Saturday.

Shamkhani had been involved in recent US-Iran nuclear negotiations, which concluded on Friday. In a statement made earlier this week, he expressed optimism about reaching an agreement, stating that compliance with Iran’s religious decree and defence doctrine would be sufficient to achieve a deal.

Shamkhani had previously survived an Israeli strike in June 2025 during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel. He was later appointed secretary of Iran’s Defence Council, which coordinates the country’s defence and national security policies.

Prior to his appointment, Shamkhani held various positions within the Iranian government, including minister of defence from 1997 to 2005. Born in Ahvaz, Iran, Shamkhani moved to the United States with his family before returning to Iran to study engineering. He later served as a commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and went on to hold leadership roles in both navies.

There has been no immediate comment from Tehran regarding Shamkhani’s fate.

Source: Al Jazeera