Who is Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, Iran’s new top security official, after Larijani’s assassination?

He had held senior security positions such as deputy for security at the Interior Ministry, deputy at the armed forces’ general staff and advisor to the judiciary chief for crime prevention.

Apart from that, Zolqadr headed the electoral headquarters of the hardline political faction, the Popular Front of Islamic Revolutionary Forces, the Khaleej Times reported.

Ali Larijani killed in Israeli airstrike

Larijani, 67, was widely believed to be running the country following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The former speaker of the Iranian parliament was one of the insiders of the Tehran regime, who had the ability to work across the aisle — from moderates and reformists to hardliners and IRGC — while also having the bandwidth to engage with the most sophisticated American and Western diplomats. He was known to have led the nation’s nuclear negotiations with the West.

What’s happening on the war front?

The West Asian conflict continued despite US President Donald Trump signalling an end of the war saying talks were on with the Islamic Republic. Iranian missiles and drones continued to pound Tel Aviv and Gulf nations on Tuesday. Trump had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf for shipping, threatening of further strikes. However, the Republican leader has delayed the deadline, offering a reprieve.

“No negotiations have been held with the US,” Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf posted on X, adding that “fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said Israel will continue to strike Iran and Lebanon even as the U.S. considers a ceasefire.“There’s more to come,” he said.

With Reuters inputs