Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been the subject of speculation regarding his health and personal life, has not made any public appearances in the past month. However, Iranian authorities assert that his absence is unrelated to health concerns.
Khamenei has been maintaining a low profile due to security considerations following the assassination of his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The elder Khamenei was killed in an operation attributed to the United States and Israel at the onset of their conflict with Tehran.
“His absence from the public eye is purely a precautionary measure given the current extraordinary circumstances,” stated Ali Bahraini, Iran’s representative to the UN office in Geneva, as reported by CNN, citing Iranian state-affiliated media.
Bahraini assured the public, “He is in good health and continues to lead the country.”
Nonetheless, despite these reassurances, any statements attributed to the younger Khamenei have been delivered by others since his abrupt rise to power earlier this month, according to CNN.
It has been confirmed that Mojtaba Khamenei sustained injuries during the attack that claimed his father’s life. However, details regarding the nature and severity of his injuries remain undisclosed.
Sources familiar with the situation previously told CNN that he suffered a fractured foot and numerous other minor injuries and lacerations.
President Trump has questioned whether he’s even alive.
He said on Monday, “We don’t know if he’s living.”
“[Ali] Khamenei was killed,” the commander-in-chief added.
“Khamenei’s son is unavailable. Nobody knows what happened to him. I can say they haven’t seen him there either. Something is going on with him. But regardless, I don’t consider him really the leader, but they do have some leaders left.”
The Post exclusively reported this month that Trump was downright tickled upon learning that Mojtaba may be gay, according to sources — and that his father feared his son’s succession for that reason.
On Thursday, the president confirmed he had been briefed about the new leader’s sexuality.
Trump doesn’t want him in charge because he is viewed as unlikely to bend to the White House’s demands that could pave the way for an end to the war that began late last month.
