Three days ago, David Keyes, a former spokesman for Prime Minister Netanyahu, posted a cryptic tweet featuring Ali Larijani surrounded by bodyguards. In the image, a masked man can be seen walking a few meters behind Larijani.
Keyes highlighted the individual and wrote, “Larijani is next in line. How do I know? Because the guy surrounded by a red circle is one of our senior agents and also a good friend of mine. He returned from Iran this morning, and with the death of Mujtaba - Larijani is expected to have a very interesting week."
The post sparked widespread reaction after reports emerged of the killing of the Islamic Republic’s de facto leader. Faisal al-Qassem, an Al Jazeera journalist with more than six million followers, shared the tweet in astonishment.
“David Keyes, the former spokesman of the Prime Minister of Israel, posted three days ago a tweet with a picture of Larijani and his entourage," al-Qassem wrote. “In the picture you can see a person walking a few meters behind him. Keyes wrote about him: ‘He is my friend, and he is our agent, and I tell you that Larijani will be the next target, and there is no doubt that a ‘very interesting’ week awaits him.’ And now today they are already announcing his assassination."
Keyes responded to the attention, thanking al-Qassem for sharing the post. “It’s exciting to see this," he wrote, adding that he learned Arabic by watching al-Qassem’s program, The Opposite Direction. “The Middle East needs more discussion and dialogue."