Iran says new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei wounded in strike

By Lawrence Agbo

Iranian officials have confirmed that the country’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was wounded during the airstrikes that killed his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Khamenei, who was appointed to the position over the weekend, sustained injuries during the February 28 bombardment that targeted a compound in Tehran at the start of the United States–Israel military campaign against Iran.

Tehran’s ambassador to Cyprus, Alireza Salarian, said the 56-year-old cleric was present during the strike and was injured in the attack, though he survived.

“I heard that he was injured in the bombardment,” Salarian said, adding that the strike also killed several members of the Khamenei family.

Reports indicate that the new leader suffered injuries to parts of his body, including his legs, but remains conscious and in a secure location.

Officials have sought to reassure the public about his condition. Yousef Pezeshkian, the son of Iran’s president and a government adviser, said he had confirmed that Khamenei was “safe and sound” despite the injuries.

The attack that wounded him also killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had served as Iran’s supreme leader for decades before the strike.

Since his appointment, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly, fuelling speculation about his health and whereabouts amid the escalating conflict in the region.

Iranian state media has described him as a “wounded veteran” of the ongoing war, though authorities have provided limited details about the extent of his injuries.

Analysts say the new supreme leader is likely to remain out of public view for security reasons, as he could become a potential target in the continuing hostilities between Iran and its adversaries.