As Twitchy reported on Tuesday, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof was sad that "strong and pragmatic" Iranian regime leader Ali Larijani was killed by an Israeli strike, after overseeing the slaughter of tens of thousands of protesters. Kristof thought that Larijani was the kind of guy with whom you "just might be able to hammer out a peace deal." There's been no word from the press if he was an austere religious scholar.
NBC News reported on Larijani's death on Tuesday.
Ali Larijani, Iran’s top national security official and one of the regime's most powerful figures, was killed in overnight strikes, Israel says. https://t.co/eefb1Wd8aB
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 17, 2026
After reporting on his death, NBC News consulted experts, who said that his death didn't mean that Israel was winning the war. Some editor at NBC News thought that was a good idea for a story and put Alexander Smith on the case of finding those experts:
Larijani is “a big scalp,” said Michael Stephens, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a think tank based in London. “It’s impressive what Israel is able to do. They promised they’d hit the regime, and they’re doing it very successfully.”
But from a global perspective, “you have to ask: So what?” he added.
…
"If you look at how the assassination of Ali Khamenei empowered the most hard-line and security elements within the Islamic Republic of Iran, then Larijani’s death could act as an accelerator to that path," said Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
One of the many hats worn by the pragmatist Larijani was his role as a leading negotiator tasked with finding common ground with Washington.
"Israel seems to be turning its attention to targeting those that could push for a political solution to overcome Iran’s troubles at home and abroad," Geranmayeh said.
Recommended
Yup, they’ve got us on the ropes pic.twitter.com/oQE1goGKfn
— Fusilli Spock (@awstar11) March 19, 2026
First ballot inductee into the Experts Say Hall of Fame https://t.co/wi4W9uwlAF
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) March 19, 2026
Whenever I read a headline with the phrase ", but experts say" I don my smoking jacket, pour myself a snifter of fin brandy, and settle into a wingback chair for an evening of reading some well curated expertise
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) March 19, 2026
— Vmibuck (@Vmibuck84) March 19, 2026
I withhold judgement on what experts say until I hear from the expert of experts in expertise Tom “I’ve Written the Same Article for 10 Years” Nichols.
— The Not DNC Election Litigators (@CO2isAwesome) March 19, 2026
When have "the experts" ever lied to us!?
— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) March 19, 2026
They're explicitly identifying "winning the war" with "today's spot price of crude."
— Joshua Sharf (@joshuasharf) March 19, 2026
My favorite is the suggestion that Iran is deploying strategic martyrhood. I read that and honestly could not decide whether it was satire or not.
— Nick Sayer (@nwsayer) March 19, 2026
They’ve got us right where we want them.
— Brian W 🇺🇸👨🚒🥃 (@crashresq29) March 19, 2026
The last Iranian standing shall be declared the winner. That’s what I call a participation trophy.
— Sowell Brother (@Christophe37461) March 19, 2026
Iran is lulling us into a false sense of security by sacrificing several Ayatollahs, most of their ministers and generals...
— Allegedly Jackson (@AllegedlyJack) March 19, 2026
Cue up "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" Black Knight memes.....
— saygoodnightgracie (@saygoodnig66656) March 19, 2026
Believe us, plenty of people did.
The Black Knight memes are undefeated….🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/wF61RmI7KU
— ♞Paladin♞ (@Glorfindel1951) March 19, 2026
Beware of “experts”, “insiders”, “informed observers”. All used to legitimize the reporter’s opinion. All used to legitimize editorializing in a news article.
— Robert T. Ives (@Justalurke) March 19, 2026
They have all of these experts on speed dial, knowing they'll say what they want said.
***