Enemies spreading rumours, Mojtaba Khamenei healthy, overseeing affairs: Iran
Word of Mojtaba Khamenei's death was first floated in the second week of March when Donald Trump, in an interview with NBC News, said he did not even know if he was alive. This came after Khamenei did not make any public appearance following joint Israeli and US strikes that killed his father.
After months of suspense over Mojtaba Khamenei’s health, his office on Friday clarified that the Supreme Leader is “fully healthy and actively overseeing affairs.”
“Enemy forces seek to provoke reactions from us by spreading rumours in order to advance their conspiracies through such responses,” the Deputy Head of the Leader’s Office for International Affairs further stated.
A day earlier, Khamenei issued a fresh written statement, defying Donald Trump’s demands and saying that Iran would defend its “nuclear and missile capabilities” as a national asset.
“Ninety million proud and honourable Iranians inside and outside the country regard all of Iran's identity-based, spiritual, human, scientific, industrial and technological capacities, from nanotechnology and biotechnology to nuclear and missile capabilities, as national assets and will protect them just as they protect the country's waters, land and airspace,” Khamenei said.
Word of Khamenei’s death was first floated in the second week of March when Donald Trump, in an interview with NBC News, said he did not even know if he was alive. This came after Khamenei did not make any public appearance following joint Israeli and US strikes that killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and other members of his family.
For weeks, Iranian officials said he was injured but provided no further clarity. Reports that President Masoud Pezeshkian was not allowed to meet Mojtaba Khamenei further fuelled speculation of a divide between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the leadership, and about the newly inducted Supreme Leader’s health.
However, it was Trump and his administration’s repeated claims about Khamenei’s death that fuelled further doubts. “I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him,” Trump said weeks after Khamenei’s fate remained unclear. He later said that Khamenei was alive but “damaged.”
Trump’s remarks were echoed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who said he believed Khamenei “is wounded and likely disfigured.”
“We know the new so-called, not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured,” he said at a press conference.
After months of suspense over Mojtaba Khamenei’s health, his office on Friday clarified that the Supreme Leader is “fully healthy and actively overseeing affairs.”
“Enemy forces seek to provoke reactions from us by spreading rumours in order to advance their conspiracies through such responses,” the Deputy Head of the Leader’s Office for International Affairs further stated.
A day earlier, Khamenei issued a fresh written statement, defying Donald Trump’s demands and saying that Iran would defend its “nuclear and missile capabilities” as a national asset.
“Ninety million proud and honourable Iranians inside and outside the country regard all of Iran's identity-based, spiritual, human, scientific, industrial and technological capacities, from nanotechnology and biotechnology to nuclear and missile capabilities, as national assets and will protect them just as they protect the country's waters, land and airspace,” Khamenei said.
Word of Khamenei’s death was first floated in the second week of March when Donald Trump, in an interview with NBC News, said he did not even know if he was alive. This came after Khamenei did not make any public appearance following joint Israeli and US strikes that killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and other members of his family.
For weeks, Iranian officials said he was injured but provided no further clarity. Reports that President Masoud Pezeshkian was not allowed to meet Mojtaba Khamenei further fuelled speculation of a divide between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the leadership, and about the newly inducted Supreme Leader’s health.
However, it was Trump and his administration’s repeated claims about Khamenei’s death that fuelled further doubts. “I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him,” Trump said weeks after Khamenei’s fate remained unclear. He later said that Khamenei was alive but “damaged.”
Trump’s remarks were echoed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who said he believed Khamenei “is wounded and likely disfigured.”
“We know the new so-called, not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured,” he said at a press conference.
