Disfigured But ‘Mentally Alert’? Iran’s New Supreme Leader Has Severe And Disfiguring Wounds
Tehran : Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is recovering from severe facial and leg injuries sustained in the airstrike that killed his father, Ayatollah Khomeini, at the start of the war. The strike hit the Supreme Leader’s compound in central Tehran on February 28, the first day of the conflict launched by the United States and Israel. Mojtaba Khamenei’s face was left disfigured and he suffered serious injuries to one or both legs, the sources said.
Despite the injuries, he is said to be mentally alert and actively involved in governance. Two of the sources said he participates in meetings with senior officials through audio conferencing and continues to take part in decisions on major issues, including the war and negotiations with Washington. His condition came at a sensitive moment for Iran, as high-stakes peace talks with the United States opened in Islamabad today amid heightened regional tensions.
According to Reuters, Iran’s United Nations mission did not respond to queries on his health or the absence of public appearances. One source familiar with US intelligence assessments told the news agency that Khamenei is believed to have lost a leg. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had earlier said on March 13 that he was “wounded and likely disfigured”.
Inside Iran’s political system, ultimate authority rests with the Supreme Leader, who oversees the elected President and commands key parallel institutions, including the Revolutionary Guards. Analysts told Reuters that Mojtaba Khamenei’s authority is still taking shape. Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute said that even if he represents continuity, he is unlikely to immediately command the same control exercised by his father over decades.
Mojtaba Khamenei’s first communication as Supreme Leader came on March 12 in a written statement read on state television, in which he called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain closed and warned regional states to shut US bases. Another statement on March 20 marked the Persian New Year, which he described as the “year of resistance”.