Tehran, Iran – A spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was killed in overnight strikes carried out jointly by the United States and Israel, according to a statement released by the IRGC on Friday, March 20, 2026. The escalating exchange of attacks underscores the increasingly volatile situation in the Middle East.
Ali Mohammad Naini, a 68-year-old brigadier general who had served as the IRGC spokesman since 2024, “was martyred in the criminal cowardly terrorist attack by the American-Zionist side at dawn,” the IRGC stated. The death comes amid a backdrop of heightened tensions and ongoing conflict in the region.
Just hours before his death, Naini appeared on national television, asserting Iran’s continued ability to produce missiles despite the ongoing war. “Our missile industry deserves a perfect score … and there is no concern because even under wartime conditions we continue missile production,” Naini was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.
The strikes occurred as Israel marked the Persian New Year, Nowruz, which this year coincided with Eid al-Fitr. According to reports, the Israeli army was carrying out strikes across eastern Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier claimed that “Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium and manufacture ballistic missiles.”
The atmosphere in Tehran was described as “hushed” by Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall, with a noticeable absence of the customary festivities typically associated with Nowruz.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, founded in May 1979, is a key military force in Iran, with an estimated 125,000 active personnel as of 2024. The organization has been designated as a terrorist group by several countries, including Australia, Bahrain, and Canada.
This latest development follows reports of growing concerns over Iran’s military capabilities and its regional influence. The incident is likely to further complicate diplomatic efforts and raise the risk of wider escalation in the region.
