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Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and widely described by Western media as the country’s 'de facto' leader following the reported death of Ali Khamenei, has issued a sharply worded statement directed at U.S.
President Donald Trump amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington.
In a post on X, Larijani accused Trump of being influenced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Mr. Trump, swayed by Netanyahu’s clownish antics, has dragged the American people into an unjust war with Iran,” Larijani wrote.
He further claimed that “over 500 American troops” have been killed in recent days, questioning U.S. priorities by asking: “Does America still come first — or Israel?”
The United States has publicly acknowledged that six American service members have been killed so far in the conflict, a figure significantly lower than the toll cited by Larijani.
Larijani also warned that the killing of Khamenei “will exact a heavy price from you,” signaling the possibility of further retaliation as hostilities intensify.
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