Tehran says new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is fine despite US claims he was wounded
March 15, 2026: Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Saturday dismissed reports that Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was seriously injured, saying there was “no problem” with his health. The statement came days after Donald Trump suggested that Khamenei had been “damaged” during recent strikes. Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since an airstrike that killed his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Trump earlier claimed in an interview that the new leader was likely alive but injured, while US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said he believed Khamenei had been wounded and possibly disfigured. Iranian officials have acknowledged that he was injured in the strike but have not released further details about his condition.
In his first message since assuming leadership, Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to avenge the deaths caused during the conflict involving the United States and Israel. He also warned that Iran would continue efforts to keep the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz closed and threatened action against countries hosting US military bases. The US and Israel launched joint strikes on February 28 that killed Ali Khamenei, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran against Israeli and Gulf targets hosting American forces.