Speculation grows over Mojtaba Khamenei's injuries after U.S. deadly attack
New Iran Supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei (Photo: Rouhollah Vahdati/ISNA/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)
Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei survived the U.S. and Israeli airstrike that killed his father, Ali Khamenei, by stepping into the garden just minutes before missiles struck the house, The Telegraph reported on March 16.
The publication cited a leaked audio recording of an address by Mazaher Hosseini, head of protocol for Ali Khamenei's office, to high-ranking clerics and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders.
Mojtaba Khamenei lived in the same compound as his father. It also housed a religious hall where Ali Khamenei delivered speeches, as well as the homes of Khamenei's other children.
On Feb. 28, Ali Khamenei and senior security officials gathered for a meeting. At that moment, a missile strike hit the building complex. The residence was struck by Israeli Blue Sparrow ballistic missiles at 9:32 a.m. local time.
Mojtaba Khamenei's wife and son were killed instantly, and his son-in-law was decapitated.
According to Hosseini, shortly before the strike, Mojtaba went out into the yard "to do something and then come back."
"He was outside and heading upstairs when the missile hit the building," the protocol chief said.
Hosseini claims that Mojtaba suffered a "minor leg injury."
He also noted that the strikes simultaneously hit multiple targets in the compound, and the attack's goal was likely the elimination of the entire Khamenei family.
In addition to Ali Khamenei, the airstrike also eliminated IRGC head Mohammad Pakpour, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, and Ali Khamenei's military office chief Mohammad Shirazi.
The Telegraph noted that Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen since the start of the war, nor after his election as Iran's supreme leader. His only message to the people was a written address read on state television.
This sparked speculation, including from U.S. President Donald Trump, that his injuries are much more serious than Tehran admits.
The audio leak occurred amid questions about how seriously Mojtaba Khamenei is injured and whether he is capable of leading the country, The Telegraph noted.
As of U.S. intelligence estimates, Ali Khamenei doubted whether Mojtaba was capable of becoming his successor. According to CBS News, he considered Mojtaba "not very smart" and "unsuited for the role of leader." In addition, rumors circulated about problems in his personal life.
Iran's Assembly of Experts elected Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country's new supreme leader on March 8.
The New York Times wrote on March 11 that Mojtaba Khamenei was injured at the start of the U.S. and Israeli special operation. According to the publication's sources, due to injuries and security concerns, he is not appearing in public and is in a secure location with limited communication.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed the new ayatollah's injury on March 12.
"He is injured but feels well," the diplomat said.
The New York Post reported on March 16 that the U.S. president was surprised to learn that, according to U.S. intelligence, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei might be gay. This was the reason his father, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, did not want him to lead the Islamic Republic.
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