Reports say Mojtaba Khamenei, who was declared Iran’s new supreme leader but has not appeared publicly, was wounded during airstrikes carried out by the U.S. and Israel.
On the 11th (local time), AFP and other outlets reported that Yousef Pezeshkian, the son of Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian and a government adviser, commented on Mojtaba Khamenei’s condition via Telegram.
He said, "When I heard reports that Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured, I asked acquaintances in my network to check," and that they told him, "By God’s grace, he is safe and well."
Earlier, the New York Times quoted three Iranian officials who asked not to be named, reporting that Khamenei suffered injuries to parts of his body, including a leg, but remained conscious. The paper said he was sheltering in a secure facility with limited communications.
Israeli military officials also said they believe Mojtaba was wounded in the leg during the airstrike on the 28th of last month.
Mojtaba is the second son of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who state outlets say was killed in recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Mojtaba was subsequently proclaimed supreme leader.
Outlets noted that one possible reason he has not appeared in public or issued an official statement or video three days after his elevation is his injury, alongside ongoing security concerns.
Iranian state media have described Mojtaba as a "wounded veteran." The government-affiliated religious charity Komiteh Emdad also used the Persian term janbaz—meaning a veteran wounded in war—in its congratulatory statement.
Reports say Mojtaba’s family also suffered casualties in the airstrike on the 28th of last month. Some outlets reported the strike killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei—Mojtaba’s father—along with his mother, his wife and one son.
Iranian authorities have not issued an official statement confirming Mojtaba’s injuries or condition. Independent verification of the reports has not yet been possible.
Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Katz said the successor to Khamenei could be a target. U.S. President Donald Trump also mentioned Mojtaba, saying, "I don't believe he can live peacefully," while reportedly leaving the door open to dialogue.
