Tehran's Revolution Square flooded with mourners as thousands attend Ali Larijani's funeral | WATCH

File photo of senior Iranian leader Ali Larijani

Thousands gathered in Tehran for the funeral of Ali Larijani, Iran’s top security chief, killed in a US-Israeli airstrike. Iran vowed retaliation, launched missiles at Israel, and received condolences from Hamas and Russia, marking a major escalation in tensions.

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Large crowds gathered in Tehran on Wednesday for the funeral of senior Iranian leader Ali Larijani, who was killed in an airstrike earlier this week.

Revolution Square and several central streets in the capital were filled with mourners as thousands turned out to pay their respects. Videos circulating on social media showed long queues of people lining the roads as the funeral procession moved through the city.

Funeral procession for Iranian security chief Ali Larijani https://t.co/IO4Fy7JBzB

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 18, 2026

Larijani, who served as Iran’s top national security chief, was considered a key figure in the country’s strategic and political leadership. Iranian authorities confirmed on Tuesday that he was killed in a strike carried out by the United States and Israel.

The attack marked a major escalation in the ongoing conflict, as it targeted one of Iran’s most senior officials.

The strike also reportedly killed Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Basij forces, further intensifying the impact on Iran’s leadership structure.

Iranian army chief Amir Hatami threatened on Wednesday to launch a "decisive and regrettable" retaliation for the killing of Larijani.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a separate statement that it had launched missiles at central Israel "in revenge for the blood of martyr Dr Ali Larijani and his companions".

Hamas offered condolences to Iran, writing on Telegram: "We renew our solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is being subjected to Zionist–American aggression, and affirm that the continuation of this aggression is a crime that targets the entire region and threatens its security and stability."

Russia also condemned Larijani's killing. "We firmly condemn actions aimed at harming the health and, even more, the killing of the leadership of sovereign and independent Iran. We condemn such actions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a daily briefing.

When Israeli and US strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the start of the Middle East war, Larijani briefly became even more powerful than he had been for decades.

Last June's 12-day Israeli air assault boosted the long-time insider's profile. And in January he was deeply implicated in the Islamic republic's brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.

During the first two weeks of the current war, Larijani played a far more visible role than Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since he was appointed to replace his slain father.