Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been injured but is “safe and sound,” son of the country’s president said on Wednesday, offering the first official explanation for the cleric’s absence from public view since his appointment at the weekend.
Yousef Pezeshkian, son of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, disclosed this in a post on his Telegram channel.
“I heard news that Mr Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I asked some friends who had connections,” Yousef wrote.
“They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound,” he added.
Questions over Whereabouts After Appointment
Mojtaba Khamenei, previously a powerful but low-profile figure behind the scenes, became Iran’s top leader after the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, in an air strike at the start of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic.
His appointment by the Assembly of Experts over the weekend sparked questions about his whereabouts and health after he failed to appear or address the public.
Iranian state television earlier described him as a “wounded veteran of the Ramadan war” without giving further details. The conflict erupted during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Report says Leader Suffered Leg Injuries
According to a report by The New York Times, which cited three unnamed Iranian officials, Khamenei sustained injuries, including to his legs, but remained conscious and was sheltering at a highly secure location with limited communication.
There has been speculation that he may have been injured in the same daytime air strike on a compound in Tehran that killed his father, as well as his mother and wife, on the first day of the war on February 28.
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Large billboards bearing his image have since appeared across Tehran, including one showing him symbolically receiving the national flag from his father while the founding leader of the Islamic Republic, Ruhollah Khomeini, looks on.
Thousands of pro-government supporters also displayed his posters during a rally in central Tehran on Monday.
Public Opposition Surfaces in Tehran
Despite the show of support, opposition to Mojtaba Khamenei has also surfaced in the capital, with reports of night-time chants of “Death to Mojtaba!” echoing in parts of the city.
Critics believe he played a key role in suppressing anti-government protests that have occurred periodically in Iran since 2009.
His father, Ali Khamenei, lived with a partially paralysed arm after surviving an assassination attempt in 1981 blamed on the People’s Mujahedin of Iran.
Analysts Expect Leader to Remain out of Public View
Analysts say the new supreme leader is likely to remain out of sight for some time because of security concerns.
Emile Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London said Khamenei would probably remain in a bunker for an extended period.
“He will sit in a bunker somewhere for a very long time because he saw what happened to his father, his wife and his mother, who were all killed in the initial attack,” Hokayem said during an online event organised by the institute.
He added that Israel may prioritise eliminating the new leader early in the conflict.
“Killing him early is certainly an Israeli priority. If he survives, he becomes a totem and a testimony to the resilience of the system,” he said.
Key Figures Expected to Manage Government, War Effort
Hokayem said Mojtaba Khamenei could delegate the day-to-day running of government to national security chief Ali Larijani, while entrusting the war effort to the powerful parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Following his appointment, both the Iranian army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps pledged allegiance to him. Allied groups, including the Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Tehran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen also declared support.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised “unwavering support” for Iran.
Before the appointment, US President Donald Trump had warned that Mojtaba Khamenei would be “unacceptable” as Iran’s new supreme leader.
“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told ABC News on Sunday. “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long.”
The position of Iran’s supreme leader is held for life and also carries the role of religious guide for the country’s Shia Muslim population.
Source: AFP
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
