Israel has claimed that Iran’s newly installed supreme
leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, sustained injuries to both legs on the same day his
father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in airstrikes.
Mojtaba, 56, has not been seen in public or
photographed since reportedly assuming the role of supreme leader following his
father’s death on Sunday. Iranian state television described him as a “wounded
veteran” of the ongoing conflict.
According to reports citing Israeli and Iranian
officials in The New York Times, Mojtaba was injured in his legs on the opening
day of the war.
His absence from public appearances has been linked to
the reported injuries, although some sources believe he may be deliberately
staying out of sight to avoid potential targeting by Israel or the United
States.
Iranian officials said the cleric remains alert and is
currently in a highly secure location with limited communication access.
Israel has reportedly marked Mojtaba as a potential
target after vowing to eliminate whoever succeeded the late Ayatollah. Earlier
strikes in Tehran reportedly killed Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba’s wife, Zahra
Haddad-Adel, and one of his sons during the first day of the conflict.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump also issued strong warnings
toward Iran’s leadership, stating that the new supreme leader would not be able
to “live in peace” and warning the country to prepare for “death, fire and
fury.”
In a broadcast discussing Mojtaba’s reported rise to
power, Iranian state media referred to him as “janbaz,” a Persian term used to
describe someone wounded by an enemy during wartime. The conflict is being
referred to in Iranian media as the “Ramadan war.”
However, officials close to the Iranian government
have disputed claims that the cleric was seriously injured. Yousef Pezeshkian
said he contacted associates with knowledge of the situation and was told
Mojtaba Khamenei is “safe and sound.”
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