Iran spy chief killed in US-Israeli strike as Tehran rejects ceasefire proposal

Iran has confirmed that Majid Khademi, head of the intelligence organization of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been killed by a joint US-Israeli strike.

Israel has claimed responsibility for Khademi’s death, and the Iranian media has attributed it to a “terrorist attack by the American-Zionist (Israeli) enemy.”

Khademi has become the latest key figure from the Iranian leadership to be confirmed killed by such strikes since they began on 28 February.

Khademi spent decades in intelligence and counter-espionage roles before his predecessor, Mohammad Kazemi, was killed in 2025 in Israeli air strikes.

Khademi headed the Guards’ Intelligence Protection Organisation before his appointment to spy chief, charged with internal surveillance and counter-intelligence.

He also held senior roles in Iran’s defense ministry. 

It comes after Iran’s leadership accused Donald Trump of "madness" after being presented with a temporary ceasefire plan.

Trump threatened that "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!" if they did not reopen the Strait by 20:00 ET on Tuesday.

Iran responded by warning of a "much more devastating" retaliation.

"An attack with bunker-buster bombs on Sharif University is a symbol of Trump’s madness and ignorance," Iran’s vice president Mohammad Reza Aref said, quoted by the Iranian state Fars news agency.

"He does not understand that Iran’s knowledge is not in concrete to be destroyed by bombs; the real bunker is the will of our professors and elites.

"No brutality in history has been able to take knowledge from Iranians.

"Knowledge has roots in our soul, and this bunker is not collapsible."

A framework to end hostilities had been put together by Pakistan and exchanged with Iran and the US overnight, sources claimed.

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has reportedly been in contact "all night long" with US Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

The plan outlined a two-tier approach with an immediate ceasefire, followed by a comprehensive agreement. "All elements need to be agreed today," the source told Reuters.

Iran promptly rejected the proposal.

On Monday, Israel hit a major petrochemical facility in Iran, despite Trump suggesting there is a pause on attacks on civilian infrastructure.

"The IDF has now strongly attacked the largest petrochemical facility in Iran located in [Asaluyeh]," Israel Katz, the country’s defense minister said.

"Now the two facilities, which together are responsible for about 85% of Iran’s petrochemical exports - have been taken out of service and are not functioning," the statement from Katz added.

"This is a severe economic blow worth tens of billions of dollars to the Iranian regime. The petrochemical industry is a major engine in financing the activities of the Revolutionary Guards and in building Iran’s military power."