Who is Fatemeh Ardeshir Larijani? Ali Larijani’s daughter, former US-based cancer specialist granted green card by Biden

Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian security official and prominent conservative figure within the country’s theocracy, was killed in an Israeli strike, Iranian authorities confirmed Tuesday. He was 67.

Larijani was widely seen as a potential leader following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader in US and Israeli strikes last month, which triggered a broader conflict. While Israel announced his death earlier Tuesday, Iran did not confirm it for several hours.

Ali Larijani married Farideh Motahhari at the age of 20 and together they have four children: Morteza Larijani, Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, Mohammad Reza Larijani and Sarah Larijani.

Fatemeh Ardeshir Larijani, Larijani’s daughter, worked as an Assistant Professor at Emory University’s medical school in Atlanta. She trained and practised medicine in the United States, including positions at University Hospitals Cleveland and later at Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute.

She is a specialised cancer doctor who was granted a green card in 2021 under former US President Joe Biden’s administration.

Earlier in January, the university announced her termination following an online petition that demanded her deportation.

Sara Larijani has largely remained out of the public spotlight, and very little information is available about her life or activities.

Morteza Larijani was reportedly killed alongside his father in an Israeli airstrike in March 2026, according to multiple reports and confirmations from Iranian authorities. He was believed to have served as a special assistant or maintained a close role within his father’s office.

Mohammad Reza Larijani maintains a relatively low public profile and is believed to live in Iran, possibly pursuing business, religious studies, or other non-political pursuits.

Iran's elite status

Members of Iran’s ruling elite have been accused of blatant hypocrisy, with claims that they use state resources to support their adult children living in the West while overseeing worsening economic hardship and repression at home, according to an Febraury report by The Guardian.

According to the report by The Guardian, Kambiz Ghafouri, an Iranian writer and human-rights activist based in Helsinki, said: “They made Iran a hell for Iranian citizens and sent their children to the West to live happily. If there were a referendum voting on whether people want the children of the Iranian authorities sent back to Iran, I think more than 90% would say yes.”

Ali Larijani's family

The Larijani family hails from Damavand in northern Iran, though Ali Larijani was born in Najaf, Iraq, in 1957, while his father was working there. Born into one of Iran’s most prominent political families, often likened by media outlets to the Kennedys in the United States, Ali Larijani’s relatives have held powerful roles. His brother Sadeq led Iran’s judiciary, while another brother, Mohammad Javad, served as a senior diplomat and key adviser to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on foreign affairs.

The family holds significant sway within Iran’s political system, forming what one Turkish media outlet described as an “influential web of power” spanning the upper echelons of the regime.

A report from a Jordanian think tank highlights that Larijani’s father, Grand Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli, was a respected jurist, lending his sons early scholarly credibility. His brothers have held key positions, most notably Sadeq Larijani, a jurist and former head of the judiciary, who served on major constitutional bodies and was at times considered a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The report notes that Larijani holds a PhD in philosophy, a background that influenced his political approach, characterised by measured rhetoric, careful deliberation, and a preference for nuanced, multi-layered solutions. Larijani was also a published philosopher, authoring at least six books, including three focused on the works of German philosopher Immanuel Kant.

Larijani was killed late on Monday alongside his son, Morteza Larijani, and his SNSC deputy, Alireza Bayat. Several security personnel also lost their lives in the incident.

In a formal condolence message, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed deep grief over the loss, describing Larijani as a “virtuous, precious, and dear brother”.

(With inputs from agencies)