Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?

Mojtaba Khamenei is Iran's Supreme Leader, who assumed the role in March 2026 after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes.

Why is Khamenei not appearing in public?

The official reason has not been disclosed. Iranian officials claim he has recovered from superficial injuries, but Israeli media and other sources speculate that he is in critical condition or not in Iran.

What does the new video show?

The undated video released by Iran's Mehr agency shows Khamenei appearing to be in good health, and Iranian officials claim he will soon be shown in public with military commanders.

Is it true that Khamenei is not in Iran?

Saudi media outlet Al Hadath reported in July 2026, citing an Israeli source, that Khamenei is not in Iran. Iranian authorities have neither officially confirmed nor denied this.

World

Where is Iran's Leader? Footage Arrives Amid Rumors

B.B. · Prije 2h | 2 min

The semi-official Mehr agency released an undated video of Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since taking power in March. Israeli media claim he is in critical condition.

Summary

Iran's Mehr agency released an undated video of Supreme Leader Khamenei to counter rumors about his critical condition.
Khamenei has not appeared publicly since taking power in March, and the Iranian president described communication with him as 'very difficult.'
Israeli and Saudi media claim Khamenei is in critical condition or not in Iran, while Donald Trump asserts he is '90 percent done.'

Iran's semi-official Mehr agency on Saturday, August 9, 2026, released an undated video of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in which he appears to be in good health. The release comes just days after Israeli media reported that Khamenei is in extremely critical condition and has been transferred to a hospital, according to the Associated Press.

Iranian officials have announced that footage will soon show Khamenei in public and in meetings with military commanders. His prolonged absence from public view has fueled widespread speculation about his health and the stability of Iran's leadership.

Months Without Public Appearances

Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the role of Iran's Supreme Leader in March 2026, following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28. According to earlier media reports, Mojtaba himself sustained facial injuries at the time, after which he withdrew and continued communication with senior officials through intermediaries.

Since taking power, Khamenei has not delivered a single public address, communicating with the public exclusively through written statements. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has previously described direct communication with the Supreme Leader as "very difficult."

Conflicting Reports on Condition and Location

Israeli media outlets Channel 14 and The Jerusalem Post, citing the IranWire portal and sources close to President Masoud Pezeshkian's administration, reported on Friday that Khamenei is in "extremely critical condition." Meanwhile, Saudi media outlet Al Hadath reported as early as July, citing an Israeli security source, that Khamenei "is not in Iran."

U.S. President Donald Trump went a step further, stating that Iran's military leadership has been eliminated and that Khamenei is "90 percent done" and incapacitated following the U.S.-Israeli military campaign.

Iranian officials have previously downplayed the severity of his injuries, claiming they were superficial and that Khamenei continues to make strategic decisions and issue operational orders. The release of the new footage is clearly an attempt by Tehran to quell increasingly intense rumors about the leader's condition.