Iranian news agency Mehr released what it described as the “first video” of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei since he assumed office, in an effort to silence escalating rumors regarding his deteriorating health.
Video: Arab networks
The 13-second clip depicts Khamenei attending what appears to be a religious studies session. However, the agency provided no information regarding when or where the footage was recorded, nor did it disclose the circumstances surrounding the filming.
The publication follows reports from Iranian news outlet IranWire, which cited two sources close to the Pezeshkian administration stating that Mojtaba Khamenei has not met with cabinet members since being wounded during the strike that eliminated his father at the start of Operation “Lion’s Roar.” According to the sources, rumors that he is critically ill and could die at any moment are circulating heavily within the highest echelons of the regime.
Since taking over the country’s leadership, Khamenei has made no public appearances or speeches, with official state media publishing only a handful of written letters attributed to him. A source close to the regime’s medical team told IranWire that his physical condition is dire, adding: “We would not be surprised if news of his death breaks soon.”
Recently, the official Telegram channel of Tehran’s municipality newspaper, Hamshahri, published a video addressing why no audio recordings of the new Supreme Leader had been released. The outlet claimed that releasing audio would allow foreign intelligence agencies—such as the Mossad—to pinpoint his location in an underground shelter and eliminate him.
Opposition channel Iran International previously reported extreme secrecy surrounding Khamenei’s limited interactions. According to the network, a brief meeting between President Masoud Pezeshkian and Khamenei took place inside a van with tinted windows at an undisclosed location in Tehran, where Pezeshkian was allegedly prevented from seeing the Supreme Leader’s face or shaking his hand.