Iran supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei in critical condition, rushed to hospital: Reports
Israeli media on Friday reported that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in critical condition and has been rushed to a hospital. As per the updates from the to Channel 14 (C14), citing sources inside Iran, and a prior report by the Jerusalem Post, which quoted the IranWire outlet and sources close to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration, rumours are there that Khamenei is in an “extremely critical condition” and one source cited by the Jerusalem Post stated, “We would not be surprised if we heard news of his martyrdom soon.”
Mojtaba did not make any public appearance since assuming power
It should be noted that Khamenei assumed power as Supreme Leader of Iran shortly after his father was killed in joint US-Israeli military strikes on February 28, 2026. After taking charge of office, he has not made any public appearances and has communicated exclusively through written statements.
Amid these developments, reports indicated that he was injured and potentially disfigured in the initial strikes that targeted his father’s compound, forcing him into hiding and compelling him to communicate with senior regime figures through a slow network of intermediaries to avoid targeting.
Adding to the speculation surrounding his status, President Masoud Pezeshkian earlier acknowledged in a state TV interview that direct interaction with Khamenei is currently “very difficult.”
Regional reports question his physical location and capacity
In the meantime, international and regional reports questioned his physical location and capacity. In July, Saudi news outlet al-Hadath, citing an Israeli security source, claimed that Khamenei was “not in Iran.”
Around the same time, US President Donald Trump asserted in a Fox News interview that Iran’s top military leadership had been eliminated, claiming that Khamenei was “90% gone” and incapacitated following the military campaign.
Iranian officials downplay severity of his initial injuries
Earlier, Iranian state officials downplayed the severity of his initial injuries, but the persistent lack of live appearances or direct public addresses continues to fuel intense regional and international speculation regarding his health and leadership stability.
Even as the Western and opposition intelligence sources suggested that he sustained severe or disfiguring injuries, leading to his total absence from live public appearances and reliance solely on written statements, Iranian state officials have offered contrasting accounts, maintaining that he continues to provide strategic oversight and operational directives for the country.
With inputs from ANI
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