Mojtaba Khamenei news
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The gist
Iran released archival footage of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei amid health rumors. The video, from 2022, fails to confirm his current condition.
Background
Mojtaba Khamenei became Iran's Supreme Leader after his father was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28. He has remained largely out of public view, fueling speculation about his health and whereabouts. Iranian media released archival footage to counter these rumors, but the video is from 2022 and does not show his current state.
How it unfolded
- Feb 28, 2026Mojtaba Khamenei became Supreme Leader after his father was killed in US-Israeli strikes.
- Aug 8, 2026Iranian semi-official media published footage of Mojtaba at a 'study session' without specifying when it was filmed.
- Aug 18, 2026A longer video of Mojtaba attending a doctoral thesis defense was published on Aparat, later identified as from 2022.
- Aug 20, 2026Mojtaba was absent from a ceremony marking 40 days since his father's burial.
- Aug 25, 2026Iran's Fars News released archival footage of Mojtaba, the second such video in August, to counter health rumors.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Iranian media released the footage to counter speculation about Khamenei's health and whereabouts.
- Analysts
- The release of archival footage raises questions about who is actually governing Iran, as Khamenei has not appeared publicly since taking office.
- Public
- Some Iranians expressed doubt, noting the video is from 2022 and does not prove he is alive or well.
Still unverified
Reports from Israeli media and IranWire claim Khamenei is in critical condition, but these are unconfirmed. A public appeal on a messaging service asked Iranians to pray for his health, but its authenticity is unverified.