Iran says Mojtaba Khamenei ‘safe and sound’ after being wounded in attack on first day of war

Mojtaba Khamenei is “safe and sound” although he has not been seen publicly or in any video since his appointment as Iran’s new supreme leader three days ago. This was confirmed on social networks by Yousef Pezeshkian, son of the president of the Islamic Republic and government advisor.

The New York Timesciting sources in the ayatollah regime and Israeli intelligence, reports that Khamenei was wounded during a bombing on the first day of the operation Epic Fury. Although the circumstances are unclear, the ayatollah has injuries to his legs and is in a maximum security location with limited communication.

Iranian state television has in recent hours referred to the 56-year-old supreme leader as a “wounded veteran of the Ramadan war”, in reference to the terminology used by the Islamic Republic to refer to the conflict. But at no time has it been specified what its status is.

“I found out that Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I asked some friends who had contacts. They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound,” Yousef Pezeshkian revealed.

Israeli Army sources point out that the ayatollah was the victim of one of the first attacks on Tehran on the morning of February 28. His father, Ali Khamenei, died in one of these bombings, as well as his mother, a brother and other senior officials of the Iranian political and military leadership, who were at the National Security Council complex for a meeting.

Rumors about Mojtaba Khamenei’s health have been constant since the beginning of the bombing campaign by the United States and Israel, especially because he emerged as the main favorite to succeed his father, as has happened. The Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation, a major state religious organization, had also referred to him as “janbaz jang,” the Persian term for those wounded in combat.

A spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, asked by local press on Tuesday, did not confirm whether Khamenei had assumed his new position as the country’s highest religious and political figure, in addition to that of commander-in-chief of the armed forces. “Those who should have received the message have received it,” he responded ambiguously.

Last Friday, the Israeli Army once again launched a massive attack with bunker-buster bombs against the supreme leader’s residential complex, reducing it to rubble. But Iranian authorities assured that Mojtaba Khamenei was not there.

Taking refuge underground due to fear of new attacks – Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with the election of Mojtaba Khamenei, although he has not said that he is a target to be eliminated, as Israel has done – the only thing that can be seen of the new supreme leader is his face on banners raised by his followers and on a large mural in the center of Tehran in which his father appears handing him the national flag.

The new leader of the ayatollahs, who maintained close ties with the Revolutionary Guard, has been an influential figure from the shadows for many years. And although he was in charge of coordinating military and security affairs, few details are known about his personality or his plans to govern Iran beyond belonging to the hardline wing of the regime.