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Ali Shamkhani buried Saturday — Iran Defense Council secretary and top Supreme Leader advisor confirmed killed

·Tehran, Iran

Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran's Defense Council and a senior advisor to the slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was buried on Saturday, Iranian state-run newspaper Farhikhtegan reported. Iran International confirmed the burial. Shamkhani was one of the most powerful figures in Iran's national security establishment — a former IRGC admiral and former Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. His death and burial confirm a significant decapitation of Iran's senior security leadership during the conflict.

Ali Shamkhani, one of the most powerful figures in Iran's national security establishment, was buried on Saturday, Iran's state-run newspaper Farhikhtegan reported. Iran International confirmed the report. Shamkhani had served as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council for over a decade before transitioning to a Defense Council advisory role, and was a close advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei until Khamenei's killing in the opening strikes of the war on February 28. Shamkhani was one of Iran's most experienced and powerful national security figures — a former IRGC Navy admiral who had navigated decades of Iranian military and security policy. As SNSC Secretary, he was the principal coordinator of Iran's strategic decision-making and maintained relationships with Russian, Chinese, and regional Arab interlocutors. His loss represents a severe blow to the continuity of Iran's strategic decision-making apparatus. His death — on top of Supreme Leader Khamenei's killing on February 28, Quds Force Lebanon commander Daoud Alizadeh's death, and the two acting Khatam-al Anbiya intelligence chiefs killed on March 13 — reflects a pattern of systematic decapitation of Iran's entire security leadership. The new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is inheriting a security establishment that has lost most of its senior institutional memory in 15 days of warfare.

Actor responses

IranOPPOSINGRESPONSE

We mourn the martyrdom of Admiral Shamkhani, a pillar of Iran's defense and a faithful servant of the revolution. His sacrifice will inspire generations. The enemy has eliminated a great man — but they cannot eliminate Iran's will to resist.

IsraelSUPPORTINGRESPONSE

The systematic elimination of Iran's senior security leadership is degrading Tehran's ability to coordinate and sustain its military campaign. This was a deliberate strategic objective from the start of operations.

RussiaOPPOSINGRESPONSE

Russia mourns the passing of Admiral Shamkhani, a distinguished statesman and diplomat with whom Russia maintained close cooperation. His loss is a profound blow to Iran and to the cause of regional stability.