Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has confirmed the assassination of Tehran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib.

“The cowardly assassination of my dear colleagues Esmail Khatib, Ali Larijani and Aziz Nasirzadeh, along with some of their family members and members of their accompanying teams, has left us in mourning,” Pezeshkian has said in a post on X.

He has extended condolences to the Iranian public over the assassination of two cabinet members, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and military and Basij commanders.

“I am certain that their path will continue more firmly than ever,” Pezeshkian has added.

Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister claimed Khatib was assassinated in an overnight strike.