Iranian Telegram channels are relaying Israeli media reports that senior political figure Ali Larijani was targeted and potentially assassinated during the massive wave of Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
Following the extensive wave of Israeli airstrikes on over 200 military targets across Iran on the night of March 16, reports have surfaced suggesting that senior Iranian political figure Ali Larijani was specifically targeted during the bombardments.
The Iranian breaking news channel خبرفوری ࡆ اخبارفوری مذاکره ࡆ جنگ فوری, which aggregates rapid geopolitical and conflict updates, relayed a report originally attributed to Israel's Kan News network. According to the channel, "Ali Larijani was among the targets of last night's attacks by the Israeli army on Iran. The result of this attack is under investigation." Notably, the channel included a laughing emoji (😂) alongside the emergency siren alert in its post, projecting a cynical or mocking editorial posture regarding the targeted official.
A parallel Iranian news aggregator, اخبارفوری خبرفوری جنگ امریکا فوری, echoed the claims from the Israeli Broadcasting Authority. The channel stated that Larijani was one of the targets of the Israeli attack in Iran and was "likely assassinated," adding that supplementary updates would be provided soon.
The inclusion of a laughing emoji in the NE_WG channel's alert regarding Larijani's potential assassination highlights a notable anti-establishment or cynical undertone toward the official, reflecting the polarized nature of Iranian domestic sentiment tracked in these channels.