Iran rejects de-escalation as Israel kills Iranian security chief Ali Larijani
CNA
Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said it was not "the right time for peace until the United States and Israel are brought to their knees, accept defeat, and pay compensation".
DUBAI: Iran's security chief Ali Larijani was killed by Israel, Tehran confirmed on Tuesday (Mar 17), the most senior figure targeted since the US-Israeli war's first day, while a senior Iranian official said Iran's new supreme leader rejected de-escalation offers conveyed by intermediary countries.
Larijani was widely viewed as one of Iran's most powerful figures and a confidant of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son and successor, Mojtaba. The security chief had a reputation for pragmatic relations with other factions in the ruling system and foreign diplomats.
His death was confirmed by Iran's Supreme National Security Council, which Larijani led as secretary. Larijani's son and his deputy, Alireza Bayat, were also killed in Israel's attack on Monday night, the council said.
The targeted killings came more than three weeks into the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has quickly become a regional conflict that shows no signs of de-escalation.
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In Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's spokesman said the Iran war has "nothing to do with NATO".
Donald Trump has suggested Washington may delay the planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping if Beijing does not help with reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also said that he may delay his trip to China, saying he would prefer to know Beijing’s position on the issue before the planned visit.
Tehran sent a stern message to its neighbours that it had "ample evidence" that US bases on their territory were being used to launch attacks.
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Sharif Osman Hadi's death set off violent protests in Bangladesh, with angry mobs torching several buildings including two major newspapers deemed to favour India, as well as a prominent cultural institution.
Analysts said that with little time to prepare and Washington's attention focused on the US-Israeli war with Iran, prospects for a major trade breakthrough are limited.
Taiwan's defence ministry said on Sunday that it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft, concentrated in the Taiwan Strait, over the previous 24 hours.
South Korea’s military said that it detected about 10 ballistic missiles fired from North Korea’s capital region toward the eastern sea.
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