U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday it remains unclear whether Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, is still alive following reports that he was wounded in an air strike earlier in the conflict.
Speaking at an event at the White House, Trump said there had been no public confirmation of Mojtaba Khamenei’s condition since the reported attack.
“We don’t know if he’s dead or not,” Trump said. “Nobody has seen him, which is unusual.”
Iran announced Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed during the initial wave of U.S. and Israeli strikes at the start of the war. Since then, the younger Khamenei has not appeared publicly, fueling speculation about his health and ability to govern.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that Mojtaba Khamenei was believed to have been wounded in one of the strikes targeting Iranian leadership and military infrastructure.
Trump said conflicting reports about the Iranian leader’s condition were circulating, with some suggesting he had suffered severe injuries.
“A lot of people are saying that he’s badly disfigured,” Trump said. “They’re saying he lost his leg and has been hurt very badly. Other people are saying he’s dead.”
Diplomatic efforts to establish communication between Washington and Tehran have also stalled. Oman has made several attempts to open a channel between the two sides, but the White House has indicated it is not interested in pursuing talks at this stage.
“We don’t know who their leader is,” Trump said. “We have people wanting to negotiate, but we have no idea who they are.”
The uncertainty surrounding Iran’s leadership comes as tensions remain high following weeks of U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting Iranian military sites, missile infrastructure and oil facilities.
