Basij, a key paramilitary militia under the IRGC, has a violent history of suppressing protests, enforcing morality laws, and committing human rights abuses, including torture and sexual abuse.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had held his first foreign policy session since being named supreme leader, and had taken a stance for revenge against the US and Israel that was “very tough and serious.”
Jordan’s carefully balanced neutrality has been expressed through both its diplomatic statements and through its actions, said Ofir Winter, a senior researcher at the INSS, Tel Aviv University.
Iran lost the first round badly. Its nuclear sites are rubble. Its air defenses are gone. The Revolutionary Guards have taken casualties they won't acknowledge for months.
Larijani, the son of a Shia jurisprudence scholar, held several senior roles within the Islamic Republic during his career, most recently as the Supreme National Security Council Secretary.
The killing of Ali Larijani, who has been doing most of the work running the country for the wounded supreme leader, was a message to any still surviving Iranian leaders: you are out of time.
Iran's sports minister said last week the Iranian players couldn't participate in the tournament after the US launched airstrikes alongside Israel against Tehran, killing Khamenei.
The US military's Central Command said the vast majority of those wounded had suffered minor injuries and 180 troops had already returned to duty. Ten of the injuries are serious, it said.
"There is a wide feeling across the Gulf that Iran has crossed every red line with every Gulf country,” said Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Center.
According to Leiter, Israel has extended its help to all the Gulf countries interested in receiving it after more than 2,000 missiles and drones were launched against them by Iran.
IDF kills Iran's 'de-facto leader', Basij commander in largest strikes since Khamenei's killing • Lebanese soldiers reportedly hurt in Israeli airstrikes as IDF pummels Hezbollah in Lebanon
