On 16 March 2026, Israel officially announced that Ali Larijani, the current de facto ruler of Iran and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, was killed in a precise Israeli airstrike.
Following the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, the Iranian leadership established a so-called "interim committee." Larijani was the absolute core of this committee. To put it another way, Larijani's power is roughly equivalent to that of Cai Qi, who oversees party affairs and the inner court in the Chinese Communist Party, and is also granted the authority of a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission; in practice, Larijani is the overall coordinator of Iran's military and security departments.
This mullah regime in Iran originally operated on a "troika": the Supreme Leader was responsible for ideology (brainwashing); the President was responsible for administration; and Larijani was responsible for the most crucial military, intelligence, and national security. Now, things are really messed up. The new spiritual leader, Larijani, is completely out of the public eye and has disappeared; the Iranian president's words now seem to carry no weight; the most powerful and resilient pillar of this triumvirate has been severed by Israel.
Ironically, just five days ago, Larijani publicly warned Trump in a post, vowing to make him "regret it." Indeed, some people did regret it, but it certainly wasn't Trump, and Larijani wasn't the only one who regretted it. Shortly after Israel announced Larijani's assassination, Xinhua News Agency, the Chinese Communist Party's official news agency, reposted a handwritten eulogy Larijani wrote for someone else. It seems the CCP is not only "far ahead" in providing Iran with its crumbling infrastructure, but also possesses a "far ahead" revolutionary sentiment in issuing eulogies for its own "comrades."
How significant is the impact of Larijani's elimination? To put it simply, he was the last "superglue" with enough experience, political connections, and practical ability to forcibly reunite the fragmented Iranian leadership. His death has laid a solid foundation for the current Iranian regime, comparable to the widespread shoddy construction projects in China, its collapse uncertain – entirely dependent on the whims of the foundation itself.
Another detail surrounding Larijani's death has left Iran's remaining high-ranking officials deeply uneasy. Just three days before his execution, former Israeli spokesman Keith posted a photo of Larijani walking confidently down the street, followed less than 10 meters behind by a masked man. Notice the man circled in red; Keith pointed to him and said, "That's my friend, a top Israeli agent named Hala Batur. Larijani will be next." At the time, people thought Keith was just making a psychological bluff. However, three days later, on Monday, Larijani became a cardboard cutout. This "preemptive strike" served as a warning to all surviving Iranian officials: We are right behind you, and we can eliminate you at any time, depending on our mood.
Trump is quite interesting. Knowing that Israel's decapitation techniques have reached a "level eight fitter" level, he only needs to provide support. So, three days ago, the US State Department announced a $10 million reward for information on 10 surviving high-ranking Iranian government officials, including Larijani. Larijani, upon seeing this, was probably secretly pleased: "See, you haven't even gotten close to me yet!" Little did he know, he hadn't gotten close to the door, but rather his bed.
Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar, meeting with Estonian officials today, casually remarked: "Look, Larijani has a $10 million bounty on his head, but we Israelis are addicted to doing things; we're doing this for free for the US!"
Don't think this decapitation operation was only aimed at Larijani. Another person Iranians deeply resent was also eliminated: Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Basij militia, which specializes in suppressing Iranian civilians, was also taken down. Don't get confused, this Soleimani isn't the Quds Force commander who was killed by Trump's bomb in 2020; he was the one causing trouble outside of Iran.
This Goramreza Soleimani was specifically causing trouble domestically, the mastermind behind Iran's internal repression, and therefore even more hated by the Iranian people. For the past six years, it was he who led his gang of motorcycle-riding mullahs to massacre protesters in the streets, arrest women who weren't wearing their headscarves properly, and torture political prisoners.
Now, a "death list of high-ranking Iranian officials" fabricated by Israel and the United States is circulating online. Each name on the list is marked "killed." I'll just list a few at the top: Supreme Leader Khamenei; National Security Elder Shamkhani; Chief of Staff Mousavi; Revolutionary Guard Commander Salami; Missile Force Commander Hajizadeh; intelligence chief Mohag; air defense chief Shekian… This isn't just "dynamic zeroing out"; it's practically an annihilation. Israelis released a photo claiming that Mossad used artificial intelligence to precisely eliminate mullahs who habitually threaten the world with their index fingers – presumably, few will dare to do so afterward. Today, Netanyahu made a chilling statement: "There are more surprises to come."
Some have analyzed the current situation of the Iranian regime: no clear successor, no effective chain of command, the Ministry of Defense, the intelligence agency, and missile bases are all operating like "headless flies," while various types and types of bombs are being dropped on their heads 24/7.
While the top brass of the Iranian regime are being systematically "named," the lower ranks are not idle either. According to the latest news from the Iranian International News Agency, the morale of the Iranian military and police forces has plummeted. Desertion has become so rampant that even the Revolutionary Guard cannot control it. The article cites an example of a military base where 350 people deserted their posts in just one day. In some local units, the desertion rate is as high as 90%. Even more shockingly, Iranian Air Force pilots have now become "pacifists."
The Basij militia, already on edge, many dared not live in their barracks. Instead, they set up makeshift tents on the streets of Tehran, intending to "hide in plain sight." However, they forgot that the eyes of the "counter-revolutionary masses" in Tehran's outskirts were not only sharp but also faster at relaying messages than Basij's motorcycles. Thus, Israeli bombs arrived with a friendly greeting.
While the fighting raged on the front lines in Iran, Trump in the White House was quite displeased today. Trump issued a lengthy statement, devoid of any diplomatic rhetoric, essentially flipping the table. Trump wrote: "The United States has been notified by most of its NATO 'allies' that they are unwilling to participate in our military operations against the Iranian terrorist regime in the Middle East; however, I am not surprised by their actions because I have always believed that NATO—which we spend hundreds of billions of dollars annually to protect these countries—is a one-way street: we will protect them, but they will not do anything for us, especially when we need help. Fortunately, we have annihilated the Iranian army, and we no longer 'need' the assistance of NATO countries—we never have!"
What Trump is truly angry about is this: the US acts as your protector, but when it comes to fighting crime, you all back down? Besides NATO, Trump also bluntly named Japan, Australia, and South Korea, declaring directly: the US doesn't need anyone's help. Some think Trump is just throwing a tantrum, but in my view, his demand for Western countries to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz is a blatant ploy, and his angry post today is a deliberate performance for all countries. Trump is using this golden opportunity to make all Western allies re-evaluate their positions, and more importantly, to assess who are the trustworthy friends, who are the opportunistic opportunists, and who are the true villains who will sit back and watch the conflict unfold... All of this will be revealed. Sure enough, Trump said at a later press conference, "This was almost a test." I might as well make a prediction: the UN and NATO, which emerged after World War II, and the EU, which arose after the Cold War, will all decline. A new international alliance will be rebuilt with the US at its core. The current Iran war and the potential Taiwan Strait conflict will be Lao Tzu's alchemy furnace, where some so-called major powers of the East and West will rapidly degenerate and degenerate, while a new generation of major powers will emerge from the ashes.
On March 16th, Trump dropped a diplomatic "nuclear bomb" in the Oval Office, targeting Cuba! Trump announced to the media, "I believe I will have the honor of taking over Cuba!" When reporters pressed for details, Trump stated that taking over Cuba meant either "liberating" it or "occupying" it. This statement was so blunt it sounded like a "territorial acceptance declaration."
Cuba, only 90 miles from Florida, has been like a thorn in America's backyard for many years. From the Castro era to the present, this communist regime has endured for over 60 years. Starting with his takedown of Maduro in Venezuela, Trump, in less than three months, swiftly advanced the campaign to dismantle communist regimes in the Americas, much like Tesla's Autopilot system. Just as Trump was making his tough statements, or more precisely, only a few hours later, a major crisis struck Cuba.
After three weeks of varying lengths of water, electricity, and gas outages across Cuba, a nationwide blackout occurred. It's estimated that apart from government agencies having backup power, the power supply completely collapsed.
Therefore, last night, the Cuban government urgently announced a series of policies. Keen observers might think this is reminiscent of the "reform and restructuring" before the collapse of the Soviet Union—or perhaps Cuba's version of "reform and opening up."
The person announcing this significant change wasn't the General Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, but rather Castro's grandson, the current Deputy Prime Minister Oliva. The reforms he announced represent a radical transformation for Cuba: First, allowing Cubans in exile to return and invest in and own private businesses. Previously, these individuals were considered "traitors and sellouts." Second, open up the financial and banking system, allow foreign currency accounts, and even grant land use rights. Third, allow private companies to participate in infrastructure construction.
Will Trump readily agree to this? Reports indicate that Trump has given Cuban negotiators a firm order: if you really want to negotiate, fine, but make your Communist Party Secretary General, Canel, step down immediately, and release all political prisoners. Then we can talk about other things. Trump's move is a "kill the goose that lays the golden eggs." You want to prolong your life through so-called "reform"? You must first get the Communist Party to relinquish power and release those Cuban political prisoners who dare to speak out.
Just as the Cuban regime is simultaneously blocking domestic news by cutting off the internet and trying to appease the US with reforms, Musk has made his move. Musk announced yesterday that Starlink will provide free services in Cuba. If the Communist Party can shut down cell towers and undersea cables, I can open up thousands of satellites in the sky for Cubans.
Given Cuba's current situation, it's uncertain whether Trump can conquer Cuba before taking down Iran. Cuba has long been a "spiritual beacon" and logistical base for far-left forces in Latin America. The dictators of Venezuela and Nicaragua have Cuban influence behind them. If the Cuban flag falls, the communist regimes throughout Latin America will experience a chain reaction of collapse. Trump's strategy of undermining Cuba's foundation will succeed. Once liberated, Cuba possesses excellent ports, abundant tourism resources, and a large pool of cheap labor. Most importantly, it has vast infrastructure awaiting reconstruction. A flood of American capital will pour in. Cuba will not only move towards freedom but may also transform from a "Caribbean slum" into "the most dazzling pearl of the Caribbean" in a very short time.
