In an apparent attempt to quash swirling rumours regarding the health of its new Supreme Leader, Iranian state media has released undated footage of Mojtaba Khamenei. The video, circulated by the state-controlled broadcaster IRIB, depicts the 56-year-old cleric conducting a religious science lecture for a small assembly. While the authorities presented the clip as fresh evidence of his well-being, the lack of a clear timestamp has done little to silence international speculation that he was severely incapacitated during the recent US-Israeli air strikes.
The mystery surrounding Mojtaba’s condition intensified following the joint military operation on February 28, which claimed the life of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reports from Washington have suggested that the younger Khamenei may have been "disfigured" or lost a limb in the strike on the family compound in Tehran. Even US President Donald Trump weighed in on the uncertainty, noting that no one has seen the Supreme Leader speak publicly since the escalation and questioning whether he is even still alive. "Nobody’s saying he’s 100 per cent healthy," Trump remarked, highlighting the difficulty in finding a clear point of contact for diplomatic talks in a regime that appears to be in flux.
Adding a layer of cinematic detail to the confusion is a leaked audio recording recently cited by the media. In the recording, Mazaher Hosseini, the head of protocol for the elder Khamenei, reportedly informed officials that Mojtaba had a miraculous escape. According to Hosseini, the cleric had stepped into the courtyard just moments before a missile struck the residence, though his wife, Haddad, was tragically "martyred" in the blast. This narrative of a narrow escape contrasts sharply with Western intelligence claims that he was critically injured and possibly remains in coma.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also capitalised on the leader's absence, pointedly asking during a Thursday night address, "Who is running Iran right now?" Netanyahu suggested that the "replacement ayatollah" has gone into hiding due to internal power struggles and physical injury, rather than religious seclusion. With several high-ranking officials — including the National Security Advisor and the Intelligence Minister — also killed in subsequent attacks, the true status of Iran’s leadership remains the most significant unknown in the ongoing conflict.
Also read: Iran threatens wider Gulf assault if Israel-US strike Pars
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