Residents in Tehran’s Chitgar district were seen and heard celebrating on March 17 after reports emerged that Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, had been killed, according to footage provided to Iran International.
Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Larijani, described as Iran’s “de facto leader,” was eliminated in an air strike carried out by the Israeli Air Force. The Israeli military later clarified that on March 16, 2026, based on intelligence and utilising specialised operational capabilities, a precision strike targeted Larijani near Tehran. The strike successfully killed the top Iranian official, whom Israel described as acting as the de facto leader of the “Iranian terrorist regime.”
By Sabina Mammadli
