Larijani: Our Leaders Are With the People, Not on “Epstein Island”

The Kabul Tribune (KT) - Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, responded to recent remarks by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who said that Iran’s leaders are hiding. Larijani said that Iranian leaders are present among the people, not on “Epstein Island.”

On his X, Larijani wrote: “Mr. Hegseth! Our leaders have been, and still are, among the people. But your leaders? On Epstein's island!”

Hegseth had earlier said that Iran’s leaders are in a difficult situation, “desperate and hiding underground,” and that the new Iranian supreme leader is wounded and released only a written statement.

At the same time, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on X that Iranian officials know they are being targeted, which is why they appear among the people, allegedly using civilians as a human shield. The ministry said Iranian leaders appear in public because they know the U.S. and Israel are trying to avoid civilian casualties.

However, reports indicate that in the first U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, a girls’ school and several residential homes in Tehran were damaged.

This exchange of statements comes amid rising tensions between Iran, the U.S., and Israel in recent days.