Trump says ‘we don’t know’ if Iran’s new supreme leader is alive: ‘Nobody knows what happened to him’
President Trump said Monday that it remains uncertain whether Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is still alive following early reports that he was injured during Operation Epic Fury.
“We have not heard from the son,” Trump told reporters while departing Palm Beach International Airport in Florida en route to an event in Memphis, Tennessee. “We don’t know if he’s living.”
Earlier, the president indicated that the United States is engaged in talks that could bring an end to the conflict in the Middle East “with the man who, I believe, is the most respected and the ‘leader’ of Iran.” When asked if he was referring to Iran’s supreme leader, Trump replied, “No.”
“[Ali] Khamenei was killed,” Trump 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, though they do still have leaders in place.”
Reports soon after Trump’s comments indicated that the focus of U.S.-Iranian negotiations has shifted to Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament.
Ghalibaf, 64, previously led the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps air force and has been seen on Iranian state television leading lawmakers in chants of “Death to America! Death to Israel!”
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was appointed on March 8 to succeed his father, 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial day of the joint U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign on February 28. Reports suggest Mojtaba may have been injured in the strike, though the severity of his wounds has been unclear.
According to The New York Times, citing Iranian officials, he suffered a fractured foot, bruising around one eye, and facial lacerations. The following day, an Iranian source told The Sun that Khamenei was in a coma and receiving intensive care at Sina University Hospital in Tehran. The source alleged that “one or two of his legs have been cut off” and that his liver or stomach may have ruptured.
Since his appointment, Khamenei has only issued written statements that were read aloud on state television. He notably missed his own succession rally, fueling speculation about his condition.
Over the weekend, Axios reported that U.S. and Israeli intelligence suggest Mojtaba may still be alive, citing attempts by Iranian officials to schedule in-person meetings with him.
A senior Israeli official told Axios, “We have no evidence that he is really the one giving orders,” while a U.S. official described the situation as “beyond weird.” The official added, “We don’t think the Iranians would have gone through all this trouble to choose a dead guy as the supreme leader, but at the same time, we have no proof that he is taking the helm.”
About Post Author
