Sources close to Axios reveal that Ali Larijani, the Iranian Supreme National Security Council secretary recently assassinated by Israel, was part of a movement advocating for initiating peace negotiations with Washington. This comes at a time when hardline factions within Iran, led by supporters of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, such as the Speaker of Parliament and the Revolutionary Guard commander, were pushing towards continued warfare. An Israeli official stated that Larijani, known for being one of Khamenei's closest allies, was targeted due to his diminishing influence following the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new leader, whom Larijani had not supported.

According to reports, Israeli officials view Larijani as the de facto leader of Iran during the early days of the ongoing American-Israeli conflict. He was targeted in a secure apartment in Tehran, alongside Ghulaam Reza Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Basij paramilitary forces, and several senior aides who were also present at a temporary headquarters. This strategic killing underscores the complexities of internal Iranian politics, especially in relation to international negotiations and alignments.

In the aftermath of Larijani's assassination, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly boasted about the operation, suggesting that it was a decisive move against a prominent figure advocating for diplomacy with the United States. Even as this event highlights the divide within Iranian leadership on issues of conflict and negotiation, it also raises questions about future diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States amid escalating tensions.