Iranian Military Spokesman Killed After Disputing Netanyahu’s Missile Claims

Ali Mohammad Naini, a top spokesperson for Iran's Revolutionary Guard, was killed Friday after publicly challenging Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's statements about Iran's reduced missile capabilities. Israeli forces confirmed the assassination, describing Naini as a key propaganda official for the Iranian military organization.

Iranian state media confirmed Friday morning that Ali Mohammad Naini, a high-ranking spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in what Israeli forces acknowledged as a targeted assassination.

The Israel Defense Forces verified Naini’s death and described him as a senior official who “held several roles … and in the past two years served as the chief propaganda distributor for the IRGC.” Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that Naini had been “martyred.”

The killing occurred just hours after Naini publicly challenged statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. When Netanyahu claimed Iran has “no ability” to produce ballistic missiles, Naini countered that the country’s missile stockpiles remained adequate and manufacturing operations were continuing despite ongoing conflict.

Naini served as the IRGC’s deputy for public relations and was killed just days following Israeli strikes that targeted two other high-ranking Iranian officials: Ali Larijani, considered a key power broker within the Iranian government, and Gholamreza Soleimani, who held a prominent position in suppressing anti-government demonstrations.

In a separate development announced Friday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry revealed that six additional nations have officially classified the IRGC as a terrorist organization. The countries joining this designation include Iceland, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Liechtenstein.

This expansion came after Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar held conversations with his international counterparts regarding the matter.