BREAKING: Tehran — Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is “safe and sound” despite reports that he sustained injuries during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to a statement released Wednesday by a government adviser.
Yousef Pezeshkian, an adviser to the Iranian government and the son of President Masoud Pezeshkian, said he had sought confirmation about the leader’s condition after hearing claims that Khamenei had been wounded.
Posting on his Telegram channel, Pezeshkian wrote that he contacted individuals with knowledge of the situation and was reassured that Khamenei was unharmed.
“I heard news that Mr. Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I asked some friends who had connections. They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound,” he said.
Iran’s state television previously referred to the 56-year-old leader as a “wounded veteran of the Ramadan war,” but did not provide details about the nature or severity of any injuries.
The statement comes amid growing speculation about Khamenei’s health and whereabouts. He has not appeared publicly since assuming the country’s highest religious and political authority following the death of his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, three days ago.
Reports have also suggested that Khamenei may have been injured during the first day of strikes against Iran by the United States and Israel. According to a report by The New York Times, citing three Iranian and two Israeli officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, the injury occurred during the opening phase of the attacks.
Iranian authorities have not officially confirmed those claims.
