The Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran’s regime announced on the evening of Tuesday, March 17, after about 12 hours of delay, the killing of Ali Larijani, the council’s secretary. This comes after the Israeli military had earlier reported targeting him, and speculation about his fate had increased in recent hours.

According to the official statement, Larijani was killed in the attack along with his son Morteza, Alireza Bayat, the deputy for security affairs at the Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council, and several of his bodyguards. The exact location of the attack has not yet been fully disclosed, but some regime-affiliated sources have stated that the operation took place at a residential location in the Pardis area near Tehran.

18th Day of War; Commanders and Leaders of the Iranian Regime Under Heavy Attacks

State-run media outlets, including Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also confirmed the deaths of Larijani and his son by publishing images. However, the time gap between the initial reports and the official confirmation once again indicates confusion and a lack of coordination in the regime’s information apparatus.

Ali Larijani was considered a well-known and influential figure within Iran’s political and security structure. Over the years, he held key positions, including serving as Speaker of the Majlis (parliament) and occupying important security roles, and was regarded as one of the influential figures at the highest levels of the regime’s power structure.

His killing comes at a time when the power structure at the top of the regime is facing increasing challenges and tensions. The removal of one of the main figures of this structure may be seen by observers as a sign of growing pressure and vulnerability within the regime’s security and political leadership.

On Tuesday, March 17, on the eighteenth day of the large-scale military war between the United States, Israel, and Iran, military and diplomatic developments continue intensely. The war, which began in late February, has now entered a critical phase and is accompanied by precise targeting of the Iranian regime’s leadership, increased domestic restrictions, and global concerns over an energy crisis.

European Union diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, said in an interview with Reuters in Brussels on Tuesday that she called for an immediate end to the conflict and emphasized that the war benefits none of the parties. She stated that the European Union is consulting with Middle Eastern countries to find a diplomatic solution and is ready to help reduce tensions through diplomatic channels. Referring to the critical situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Kallas said Europe does not rule out participating in efforts to restore freedom of navigation, but this must be pursued within a diplomatic framework.

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She also expressed regret that Europe had not been consulted before the war began, stating that if such consultations had taken place, efforts would have been made to prevent the conflict. Kallas warned that continued tensions in the Strait of Hormuz could lead to an energy and food crisis and widespread disruption of global trade. The European Union has stressed that this is not Europe’s war and has shown no willingness to expand its naval mission to the Strait of Hormuz.

Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and targeting of senior commanders

In early Tuesday airstrikes on Tehran, Israel dealt a heavy blow to the Iranian regime’s security structure and leadership. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Ali Larijani (Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council) and Gholamreza Soleimani (commander of the IRGC Basij militia) were killed in the attacks. Katz said that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered the continued targeting of the regime’s leadership cadre. Israeli media and four Israeli officials confirmed the news to Reuters, while Iranian officials have remained silent so far. Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, claimed Larijani would release a message, but what was published was only an undated image of his old handwriting referring to the funeral of sailors from the Dena destroyer. These claims have not yet been officially confirmed or denied by Tehran.

Additionally, images and videos of precise strikes have been منتشرed, including the bombing of the Foundation of Martyrs building (a major state institution) on Bahar and Taleghani streets in Tehran, and a drone strike on a special police unit vehicle in Enghelab Square, which destroyed the vehicle and killed the driver. These attacks indicate Israel’s focus on security and military targets in the capital.

and internal repression

The internet shutdown in Iran has entered its eighteenth day, and citizens remain deprived of free access to communications. The regime’s Ministry of Intelligence claimed it had discovered and confiscated hundreds of Starlink systems (allegedly directed by the United States and Israel). This comes as the authorities have restricted internet access and maintained it only for regime-aligned networks. The shutdown is being used as a tool of repression to prevent the spread of news and images of the attacks and to control the flow of information. International reports indicate that this blackout began in January and internet traffic has dropped to about 1% of normal levels.

Broader consequences of the war

The day was accompanied by rising global energy prices as the threat to the Strait of Hormuz persists. While Israel focuses on targeting the Iranian regime’s leadership, Iran is responding with missile and drone attacks. Developments indicate the war remains a war of attrition, with no signs of an immediate ceasefire. The European Union emphasizes diplomacy, but its reluctance to engage in direct military involvement has kept the pressure on the United States and Israel.

The eighteenth day of the war once again demonstrated that the conflict is not only military but also has deep economic, communication, and humanitarian dimensions, and it has profoundly affected the future of the region.

In a statement, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an Iranian opposition coalition, warned about the condition of prisoners in Iran under wartime circumstances and announced that the lives of thousands of prisoners, especially political prisoners, are in serious danger due to the lack of shelters inside prisons, the severe shortage of basic facilities, and intensified repression by security forces.

The statement says that as airstrikes and bombardments expand across different parts of the country, millions of citizens have left their homes to stay safe from the attacks, but prisoners inside prisons have no possibility of taking shelter or leaving their places of detention. According to the council, prisoners are not only exposed to the dangers of military attacks but also face a severe crisis in meeting basic needs such as food, water, and sanitary facilities.

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According to reports that the council says it has received from inside prisons, the situation in some facilities is extremely critical. A report from Fashafouyeh Prison in Tehran states that after strikes hit areas around the prison, a number of prisoners tried to leave the prison compound to save their lives, but forces known as “NOPO” (the Iranian regime’s special police unit) prevented them from leaving by firing pellet rounds, using tear gas, and even live ammunition.

The dire situation of Iran’s prisons

According to these prisoners, after this incident living conditions inside the prison became significantly harsher. Food rations have been reduced, access to water and bathing facilities has been limited, and repeated electricity and gas outages have created numerous problems. It has also been reported that access to the prison store and many essential items, including food, hygiene products, and medicine, has nearly disappeared, and the possibility of making phone calls outside the prison is also being cut off.

Another part of the statement refers to the situation in Ahar Prison. According to this report, after the bombing of Sarab Prison in the early days of the war, all prisoners and staff from that prison were transferred to Ahar. This transfer has sharply increased the prison population in Ahar Prison and pushed conditions to a critical stage. According to local sources, the overcrowding is so severe that many prisoners do not even have enough space to sleep and are forced to rest on the floor. Shortages of food and sanitary facilities have also created serious problems for prisoners.

The situation in Gonbad-e Kavus Prison has also been described as critical in the reports received. Prisoners in this facility are said to be facing severe shortages of food, and some of them are suffering from hunger. In addition, the absence of a prison store and the departure of some administrative staff from their posts have caused serious disruptions in addressing prisoners’ problems. According to these reports, the increase in the number of prisoners after recent protests has also led to severe overcrowding in prison wards.

In this context, Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the Iranian Resistance (a title used by the NCRI), in the first days of the war called on the international community to take action for the immediate release of prisoners, especially political prisoners. She emphasized that keeping prisoners under conditions of bombardment constitutes a double crime and that the international community must act to prevent their lives from being endangered.

At the end of its statement, the National Council of Resistance of Iran called for the immediate attention of international institutions and human rights defenders to the situation of prisoners in Iran and warned about the humanitarian consequences of the continuation of these conditions.

Iraqi security sources announced that the United States Embassy in Baghdad was targeted by a drone attack on the morning of Saturday, March 14. According to witnesses, after several explosions were heard, black smoke was seen rising above the area of the U.S. Embassy located in Baghdad’s Green Zone, a heavily fortified district housing government buildings and foreign diplomatic missions.

IRGC Threatens Public with a Harsher Crackdown

The attack occurred several hours after two separate strikes on positions of Kataib Hezbollah, the militia backed by Iran’s regime, in Baghdad. According to security sources, those strikes resulted in the deaths of three members of the group, including one commander.

According to reports by local media outlets, in one of these attacks, which targeted a house in Baghdad, Ahmad al-Hamidawi, a senior leader of Kataib Hezbollah, was wounded. However, these reports have not yet been independently confirmed.

At the same time, Iraqi security sources said that on Saturday evening another drone also targeted the Baghdad International Airport complex, an area that includes a military base and U.S. diplomatic facilities. According to these sources, the drone was intercepted, but its crash caused a large fire outside the airport compound.

On March 14, the fifteenth day of the war, while tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, the United States announced that it carried out a major attack on Kharg Island—an operation that U.S. officials described as one of the most powerful military operations in the region. At the same time, reports indicate an increased U.S. military presence in the Middle East, new warnings from Iran’s regime to European countries, and growing concerns about the security of the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday, March 13, that under his order the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out a major attack on Kharg Island. In a message on the social media platform Truth Social, he said that all military targets on the island had been completely destroyed. Trump described the operation as one of the most powerful air strikes in the history of the Middle East and referred to Kharg Island as one of the most important assets of Iran’s regime.

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Despite the attack, the U.S. president emphasized that the island’s oil infrastructure was not targeted. According to him, this decision was made for humanitarian and ethical reasons. Trump also warned that if Iran’s regime attempts to disrupt the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, that decision could change and oil facilities might also become targets. He further claimed that Iran’s regime does not have an effective defensive capability against U.S. attacks and reiterated that Tehran will never obtain nuclear weapons.

Increased U.S. Military Presence

At the same time, media reports indicate an increased U.S. military presence in the region. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Department of Defense has approved a request from U.S. Central Command to deploy additional forces to the Middle East. According to U.S. officials, part of an amphibious ready group along with a Marine expeditionary unit will be deployed to the region.

According to the report, the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, which had previously been stationed in Japan, is heading toward the Middle East along with U.S. Marines. American sources say the unit includes several warships and about 5,000 Marines and sailors. The Associated Press also reported that about 2,500 U.S. Marines and at least one amphibious assault ship is moving toward the region—an action that indicates a significant increase in Washington’s military presence in the Middle East.

On the other side of the crisis, officials of Iran’s regime have continued their threats. Ali Bahreini, the regime’s representative at the United Nations office in Geneva, warned in an interview with Euronews that any base or facility used to launch attacks against Iran would be considered a legitimate target for Iranian military forces. When asked whether this threat also includes military bases in Europe, he said Iran would defend its country “with any action that may be necessary.”

$10 Million Reward for Information on Mojtaba Khamenei

In another development, the U.S. Department of State announced a $10 million reward for information regarding Mojtaba Khamenei, the new leader of Iran’s regime, and several other senior officials of the government. The measure was announced under the Rewards for Justice program and also includes figures such as Ali Larijani, Eskandar Momeni, Esmail Khatib, and Yahya Rahim Safavi. Washington stated that information helping to identify the location of these individuals or bring those responsible for terrorist activities to justice would qualify for the reward.

IRGC Threatens Public with a Harsher Crackdown

Meanwhile, concerns about the security of the Strait of Hormuz have increased. John Healey, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, said that London is prepared to participate in operations to clear the strategic waterway if Iran’s regime lays mines in the area. He stated that Britain’s autonomous naval mine-hunting systems could be used to clear shipping routes. However, he emphasized that no direct evidence of minelaying in the area has been found so far.

U.S. Central Command also announced that American forces have so far destroyed 16 mine-laying vessels affiliated with Iran’s regime. Tensions continue to expand and concerns about regional security and vital global energy routes are increasing.

With the introduction of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new leader of Iran’s regime and the release of his first official message, Iran’s political atmosphere has entered a new phase. The message, issued under extremely critical circumstances amid ongoing war and mounting internal and external pressures, has been viewed by many observers as an attempt to consolidate the position of the new leadership.

The message included a range of political and military positions—from emphasizing the continuation of the war and threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz to speaking about opening new fronts and stressing the presence of Basij forces in the streets. However, a closer examination of the message suggests that behind the aggressive rhetoric and authoritarian slogans, signs of concern and crisis within the power structure can also be observed.

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The first key point in the message is the attempt to establish the legitimacy of the new leadership. Following the death of Ali Khamenei and the discussion surrounding succession, a major question has been whether transferring power to his son could gain consensus within the regime’s power structure.

One of the main objectives of Mojtaba Khamenei’s message appears to be conveying that the transfer of power occurred within a legal framework and with the support of official institutions. His reference to being chosen by the Assembly of Experts—the body constitutionally responsible for selecting the supreme leader—and emphasizing the support of government officials appears to be an effort to respond to criticisms that view the new leadership as an example of hereditary power transfer within the system of clerical rule.

Mojtaba Khamenei Surrounded by Crises

However, the way the message was released has itself raised questions. The statement was published without any image or video, which some analysts interpret as a sign of caution—or even concern—at the highest levels of power. At moments like this, political leaders typically attempt to demonstrate their authority through public and symbolic appearances. The release of a non-visual message could therefore indicate the sensitivity and complexity of the political situation within the ruling establishment.

Another major theme in the message is the emphasis on continuing the war. The new leader has attempted to portray the ongoing conflict as a necessity for defending the country and even as the will of the people.

However, this claim does not align well with social realities in Iran. Numerous reports of protests and public dissatisfaction suggest that a significant portion of society is unhappy with the continuation of the conflict and its economic and human consequences.

In such circumstances, insisting that the war reflects the people’s decision appears less like a reflection of social reality and more like an attempt to legitimize the continuation of the regime’s military policies.

Another key element of the message is the threat to close the Strait of Hormuz. This threat has long appeared in the political and military rhetoric of Iran’s regime and is usually highlighted during periods of heightened tension with global powers or regional countries. However, the implementation of such a threat would have far-reaching consequences for the global economy as well as Iran’s own economy.

Closing the Strait of Hormuz would not only disrupt the main route for transporting a large portion of the world’s oil but would also severely affect Iran’s own oil exports. For this reason, many experts view the threat more as a tool of political and psychological pressure rather than a realistic operational option.

Opening New Fronts in the War

At the regional level, Mojtaba Khamenei’s message also reflects an effort to demonstrate Iran’s power and influence. The reference to opening new fronts and using allied forces in the region is part of a strategy that Iran’s regime has pursued for years to expand its influence across the Middle East. However, the current regional situation and international pressures may increase the costs of such an approach for the ruling establishment.

Perhaps the most important part of the message is the emphasis on domestic issues and the role of Basij forces in “maintaining the scene.” This section indicates that concerns about protests and internal unrest remain one of the regime’s main worries.

Emphasizing the presence of Basij forces and loyal elements in the streets is essentially an attempt to maintain social control and prevent the expansion of potential protests. In recent years, the government has repeatedly faced large waves of protests, and this experience has made the control of the streets one of its top priorities.

Overall, Mojtaba Khamenei’s first message represents a mixture of displays of authority and signs of concern. On one hand, the aggressive tone and emphasis on continuing the war and issuing regional threats are attempts to portray strength and stability under the new leadership.

On the other hand, the repeated focus on domestic issues and the role of repressive forces suggests that concern about the internal situation remains one of the regime’s most significant challenges. For this reason, the message not only reflects the future direction of the ruling establishment but also reveals the depth of the political and social crises it faces.