Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that U.S.-Israeli strikes killed their spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini.
Quir stated without elaboration that Naini “died a martyr’s death” at dawn on 20 March.
Just hours before the corps’ statement was published, Radio Farda, Radio Liberty’s Iranian service, Radio Farda, noted, Fars News Agency, which is close to Quir, published Naini’s commentary. In it, he stated that Iran continues “to produce missiles even under wartime conditions” and “there are no problems with [weapons] stockpiles.”
The Israeli army later confirmed Naini’s death. “Over the years, Naini held various positions in propaganda and public relations. For the past two years, he was the chief propagandist for Queer,” the IDF said in a statement.
Israel and the US launched an operation against Iran on 28 February. In response, Iran has been striking US military bases and infrastructure of Washington’s Gulf allies.
In Iran, the strikes killed government officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, Intelligence Minister Ismail Khatib and Basij paramilitary commander Gholamreza Suleimani. There were also reports of injuries to the country’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.