Three days after being declared Iran’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public, nor has he issued any official statements.
Western media outlets report that while officials have confirmed Khamenei’s leg injuries, the exact circumstances and extent of his injuries remain unclear.
According to The New York Times, one of the reasons for Khamenei's absence is the heightened security concerns, as any public communication could potentially reveal his location, putting him in further danger. Three anonymous Iranian officials revealed that Khamenei, 56, was injured on the opening day of the ongoing attack by Israel and the United States.
The officials mentioned that Khamenei had suffered injuries, particularly to his legs, but was alert and staying at a highly secure location with limited communication. Despite his injuries, Khamenei's situation remains closely guarded by the Iranian government.
Israeli military officials, speaking to The New York Times on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Israel’s intelligence suggests Khamenei sustained leg injuries during the attack on February 28, prior to his formal designation as the new supreme leader on March 8.
Reuters cited a senior Israeli official as saying that Israel’s defense establishment assesses that Khamenei was lightly wounded during the joint Israeli-U.S. airstrike campaign against Iran, which could explain his continued absence from the public eye.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, confirmed the information regarding the health of the country’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Responding to a question about Khamenei’s health, Baghaei stated, “He is injured, but he feels well. I don’t know when he will give his first speech.”
He also added that three or four candidates were considered for the position of Supreme Leader, but the majority of the members of the Assembly of Experts chose Khamenei according to the Iranian Constitution.
According to Baghaei, this shows that the system in the country is not governed by one individual, but by a collective body.
As the situation unfolds, Khamenei’s whereabouts and health remain a subject of intense scrutiny, with both Iranian and international officials maintaining a veil of secrecy surrounding his current condition.
