- Title: Analyst warns of escalation as Israel says it killed Iranian security chief
- Date: 17th March 2026
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (MARCH 17, 2026) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ARABIC STUDIES, HAIZAM AMIRAH-FERNANDEZ, SAYING: "So far, it has proven to be very resilient. The Iranian political system, the political regime, the military has kept the capacity to respond, to act in a way with the chain of command, apparently so far. The que
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: Ali Larijani Iran Israel United States
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Iran
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA006488117032026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Recent claims from Israel saying they have killed a top Iranian official will unlikely bring the Iran-Israel conflict closer to an end according to the executive director of the Centre for Contemporary Arabic Studies, Haizam Amirah- Fernandez.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday (March 17) Israeli forces had killed Iran's security chief Ali Larijani, as well as Gholamreza Soleimani who led the volunteer Basij militia, which plays a major role in domestic security.
Amirah‑Fernandez, who is based in Madrid, said both Iran and Israel continue to claim they are achieving strategic objectives, even as the true consequences of each strike remain uncertain. Larijani’s death, he noted, removes a long‑standing and highly significant figure in Iran’s political system. He questioned whether the Iranian state can maintain continuity amid the loss of prominent political and military leaders, but said the system has shown notable resilience so far.
A senior Iranian official said on Tuesday the new supreme leader had rejected de-escalation offers conveyed by intermediaries, demanding Israel and the U.S. first be "brought to their knees."
The fear now, according to Amirah-Fernandez, is that critical “red lines” could be crossed, including potential large‑scale attacks on energy infrastructure across the Gulf region. Such a scenario, he cautioned, could damage regional stability, global markets and energy supplies beyond the Middle East.
(Production: Antoine Demaison, Nina Lopez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None