Pakistan, March 17 -- Israel has claimed that senior Iranian official Ali Larijani was killed in a recent attack, a statement that quickly sparked confusion and strong reactions across the region. However, authorities in Iran signaled that the claim was inaccurate and said a video message from Larijani would soon be released to prove he was alive.

The announcement originally came from Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, who said the strike had eliminated Larijani, one of Iran's most influential political strategists. Meanwhile, Iranian state-linked media pushed back against the claim and circulated a handwritten message attributed to Larijani, suggesting he was still active and addressing national matters.

In the note, Larijani honore...