According to reports from multiple mainstream media outlets, Ali Shamkhani, the former secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a senior advisor to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, died in the hospital due to severe injuries. He was injured during an attack launched by Israel inside Iran.

The airstrikes targeted dozens of key facilities related to Iran's nuclear program and military command system, including secret meeting locations for military high-ranking officials and command nodes for air defense systems.

As a key figure in Iran's strategic security domain, Shamkhani was among the intended targets. At the time, many foreign media outlets reported that he had already died, but the Iranian side stated that he was still alive but critically injured.

Not an Unknown Official

Shamkhani was not an unknown official.

He long served as the secretary of the National Security Council and was a core coordinator for Iran's security, diplomacy, and nuclear affairs, reporting directly to Ayatollah Khamenei.

With extensive influence within Iran's political system, his role as a balancer between military and political factions allowed him to bridge various factions. He had both a Revolutionary Guard background and held key positions in reformist governments.

In recent years, although he did not hold any public office, he remained in a significant position within Ayatollah Khamenei's advisory council.

His death could potentially alter Iran's internal dynamics. It is not that his importance ranked second only to Ayatollah Khamenei, but rather that he was one of the few individuals capable of influencing Ayatollah Khamenei's stance, pushing the conservative position toward a more pragmatic direction.

In other words, it was about getting the conservatives to accept the pro-American stance and improve relations with the United States.

It was precisely because of Shamkhani's existence that the Revolutionary Guards allowed the pro-American faction to continuously push for negotiations with the U.S.

Near Pro-American Position

Last month, Shamkhani accepted an exclusive interview with NBC News. In Iran, it is extremely rare for officials to directly accept interviews from American media outlets.

At the time, Shamkhani expressed Iran's open attitude towards resolving nuclear disputes.

He explicitly stated that if the U.S. were willing to lift all sanctions, Iran would commit never to produce nuclear weapons, destroy its stockpile of high-concentration uranium, limit uranium enrichment activities, and accept international inspections.

He said that if these conditions were met, Iran could immediately sign an agreement.

This clearly shows that he still harbored hope for the U.S., believing that accepting a series of restrictive measures would lead the U.S. to lift sanctions on Iran.

Surrendering Won't Help

Shamkhani served as the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Navy early in his career before taking on roles such as Minister of Defense and Secretary of National Security. He bridged both government and Revolutionary Guard systems and spanned hardliners and pro-American factions, acting as a mediator domestically and internationally.

Clearly, he is now leaning more towards surrender. The economy cannot be revived after the rise of the Lehi administration; without economic growth, neither the pro-American faction nor the conservatives are having an easy time.

Thus, a group advocating surrender has emerged, believing that sufficient concessions to the U.S. would lead to the lifting of sanctions and a return to the situation ten years ago.

However, such people are increasingly finding themselves without a place in the current situation.

Israel clearly does not care whether he is willing to surrender or not, as Israel opposes the negotiations themselves. Revolutionary Guard commanders who often make tough statements have been eliminated, and even Shamkhani, who spoke more pragmatically and was less confrontational, was also eliminated.

This clearly indicates an effort to disrupt the negotiations.

Shamkhani's fate serves as a warning to all Iranian "surrenderists," "pro-American factions," and "moderates."

In his last public statement before his death, he hoped that the U.S. would fulfill its promises and lift the sanctions so that an agreement could be reached.

He did not receive a reply but instead received death.

This conveys a harsh reality to Iranians: under the current circumstances, even if you are willing to negotiate and make concessions, you will not gain safety as a result.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516430904760304128/

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