Why Ali Larijani's Tweet Sparked Global Ridicule
Iranian official Ali Larijani sparks ridicule after claiming over 500 american soldiers have died in Operation Epic Fury. Analysts Amit Segal and Zvi Yehezkeli weigh in on the "desperate" propaganda as the regime struggles to project strength following the death of Khamenei.
Senior iranian official Ali Larijani, one of the closest associates to the assassinated Supreme Leader Khamenei, published a series of tweets on the X social network on Wednesday afternoon containing outlandish and false claims regarding the ongoing war.
In his social media outburst, Larijani claimed that more than 500 American soldiers have been killed in the war within just a few days.
"Trump has dragged the american people into an unjust war with iran as a result of the recklessness and behavior of Netanyahu," Larijani wrote. He went on to taunt the U.S. President, asking: "Now that more than 500 american soldiers have died in just a few days, is the slogan still 'America First,' or has it become 'Israel First'?"
Larijani concluded with a threat, stating that "the story is not over yet" and that the "martyrdom of Imam Khamenei will exact a heavy price, God willing."
The figures cited by Larijani are entirely false and do not even come close to the reality on the ground. According to confirmed reports, the number of Americans killed during the hostilities is in the single digits, less than ten soldiers.
Prominent Israeli commentator Amit Segal reacted to the post by stating that the Iranian leadership has officially moved into the "stage of deluison."
Veteran arab affairs analyst Zvi Yehezkeli provided an in-depth look at the regime's psychological state. "Larijani's tweet proves it, the Iranians are trying to project a tough iranian spirit, but it fails to cover up the underlying despair," Yehezkeli noted.
As the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign continues to dismantle iranian military infrastructure, experts suggest these wildly inaccurate claims are a desperate attempt to maintain internal morale and incite anti-war sentiment in the West.