Source India Today
JERUSALEM/TEHRAN — The Middle East remains on edge today as a fog of war surrounds the status of Ali Larijani, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. While the Israeli government has formally announced his “elimination” in a precision airstrike, a cryptic handwritten note appeared on Larijani’s official social media channels, fueling intense speculation over whether he survived the attack.
The Claim: A “Major Blow” to Tehran
On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared that Larijani—widely considered Iran’s de facto wartime leader following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last month—was killed in an overnight strike in Tehran.
“Larijani was eliminated last night. He has joined the members of the ‘axis of evil’ in the depths of hell,” Katz stated in a televised address.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed these claims, describing Larijani as the “boss of the Revolutionary Guards” and a primary architect of Iran’s regional strategy. Israeli intelligence reportedly tracked Larijani to a safe house in Tehran, where the strike was carried out.
The Counter: A Message from the “Grave”?
Shortly after the Israeli announcement, Iranian state media and Larijani’s official X (formerly Twitter) account published a photograph of a handwritten note.
The Content: The note pays tribute to Iranian sailors killed in a recent U.S. naval engagement involving the warship Iris Dena.
The Timing: The note was released after Israeli media began reporting the death but before the official confirmation from Minister Katz.
The Discrepancy: Intelligence analysts note that the message does not explicitly mention the airstrike on Larijani himself or current Tuesday events, leading to theories that it may have been pre-written or released by aides to create confusion.
Why Larijani Matters
Ali Larijani is one of the most seasoned figures in the Islamic Republic’s history. His potential loss represents a tectonic shift in the current conflict:
