The Philosopher-Turned-Hardliner Now Leading Iran's War Response

For decades, Ali Larijani was the kind of Iranian official Western diplomats could work with. The man who wrote his PhD thesis on Immanuel Kant, who shepherded the 2015 nuclear deal through parliament, who spoke in measured tones about "rational paths" to negotiation.

That version of Larijani vanished on March 1st.

Just 24 hours after US-Israeli airstrikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 67-year-old secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council appeared on state television with a message that would have been unthinkable from him just weeks earlier: "We will burn their hearts. We will make the Zionist criminals and the shameless Americans regret their actions."

From the Kennedy Dynasty of Iran

Larijani's transformation is all the more striking given his background. Born into what Time magazine once called the "Kennedys of Iran," he represents the intersection of religious authority and technocratic competence that has long defined Iran's governing elite.

His family's influence runs deep through the Islamic Republic's power structure. His brothers have held key positions in the judiciary and the Assembly of Experts, the clerical body that selects and oversees the supreme leader. His marriage at age 20 to the daughter of Morteza Motahhari, a close confidant of Iran's founder Ruhollah Khomeini, cemented his place within the revolutionary establishment.

Yet unlike many of his peers who emerged solely from religious seminaries, Larijani built a unique profile. He earned degrees in mathematics and computer science from Sharif University of Technology, then pursued graduate studies in Western philosophy. His doctoral thesis on Kant reflected an intellectual curiosity that would later inform his diplomatic approach.

The Pragmatist's Rise and Fall

For years, this combination of religious credibility and secular education made Larijani invaluable to Iran's leadership. As the country's chief nuclear negotiator from 2005 to 2007, he engaged with European powers on uranium enrichment limits. As parliamentary speaker from 2008 to 2020, he secured legislative approval for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with world powers.

Even his critics acknowledged his effectiveness. During his tenure running Iran's state broadcaster from 1994 to 2004, reformists accused him of restrictive policies that drove Iranian youth toward foreign media – but they couldn't deny his organizational competence.

This pragmatic reputation followed him back to the Supreme National Security Council in August 2025, when President Masoud Pezeshkian reappointed him as secretary. Western officials saw the move as potentially positive for diplomacy, given Larijani's history of deal-making.

As recently as February, he was engaged in indirect negotiations with the US through Omani mediation. "Resorting to negotiation is a rational path," he told Al Jazeera just weeks before the current crisis.

The Hardliner's Emergence

But that diplomatic window closed with the airstrikes that killed Khamenei and Revolutionary Guard commander Mohammad Pakpour. In the span of a day, the philosopher-diplomat became a voice for retaliation.

"America and the Zionist regime have set the heart of the Iranian nation ablaze," Larijani declared on social media. His language – calling for "unforgettable lessons" to "hellish international oppressors" – marked a rhetorical shift that surprised even longtime Iran watchers.

The transformation wasn't entirely sudden. Since returning to the security council, Larijani had already taken harder positions, reportedly canceling cooperation agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency and declaring their reports "no longer effective." But the February airstrikes appear to have completed his evolution.

The Succession Question

Now Larijani finds himself at the center of Iran's biggest crisis since 1979. With Khamenei dead and the country under attack, he's expected to play a key role alongside the three-man transitional council managing the succession.

His assurance that "plans were in place to arrange the leadership succession according to the Constitution" suggests he's positioning himself as a stabilizing force during the transition. But his promise of retaliation "with a force that they have never experienced before" indicates Iran won't be looking inward while choosing new leadership.

The man who once ran for president twice – only to be disqualified by the Guardian Council in both 2021 and 2024 – may now find himself wielding more influence than he ever could have as an elected official.