Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has sustained injuries but is “safe and sound,” according to a statement from Yousef Pezeshkian, the son of President Masoud Pezeshkian. This is the first official confirmation regarding the whereabouts and condition of the 56-year-old leader since his appointment over the weekend.
“I heard news that Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I have asked some friends who had connections,” Pezeshkian wrote on his Telegram channel. “They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound.”
Mojtaba Khamenei, previously a low-profile but influential figure behind the scenes, was named Iran’s top leader following the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in an airstrike at the start of the ongoing US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic. The attack also claimed the lives of his mother and wife.
Questions about his health and public visibility have grown since his nomination by the Assembly of Experts, as Khamenei has yet to make a public appearance or address the nation. State television referred to him as a “wounded veteran of the Ramazan war” without providing further details.
A report by the New York Times, citing unnamed Iranian officials, said Khamenei suffered injuries including to his legs but is alert and currently sheltering in a highly secure location with limited communication. Analysts suggest he may have been injured during the daytime airstrike on a Tehran compound on February 28 that killed his father and other family members.
Despite his absence from public events, images of Khamenei have been widely circulated in Tehran, including billboards showing him receiving the national flag from his late father, alongside the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini. Thousands of pro-government supporters displayed banners and attended rallies featuring his image in central Tehran.
Security analysts note that Khamenei has become an immediate target for assassination by the United States and Israel, and it is expected he will remain out of public view for an extended period. Emile Hokayem said he anticipates Khamenei will operate from a secure location, delegating day-to-day government operations to National Security Chief Ali Larijani and military coordination to Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Both the Iranian army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have pledged allegiance to Khamenei following his appointment, as have regional allies including Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Vladimir Putin also expressed unwavering support.
Before the nomination, US President Donald Trump warned that Khamenei’s appointment would be “unacceptable” and suggested that his continuation in power would require US approval.
The situation underscores heightened security and political tensions in Iran as the country continues to navigate the ramifications of the ongoing US-Israeli conflict and internal leadership transitions.
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