Mohtaba Khamenei
According to information provided by sources to the NYT, news of Khamenei's injury came from "high-ranking government officials." They claim that the new supreme leader is conscious and is hiding in a secure location with limited means of communication.
Israel also confirmed the reports of Khamenei's injuries, stating that he was hit on February 28, as reported by the NYT, citing two Israeli military sources.
One of the indicators of the condition of the new supreme leader was his mention on state television and in the news agency Irna, where he was referred to as a "wounded war veteran" after his election. Additionally, in a congratulatory message from the Imdad Committee, an important religious organization, he was called by a Persian term used to denote veterans who have been wounded in battle.
However, Iranian officials deny the reports of Khamenei's injuries. Yousef Pezeshkian, the son of the President of Iran, stated that the new supreme leader is fine. "I heard rumors that Mr. Mohtaba was injured. I discussed this with friends who are in contact with him. They assured me that, by God's grace, he is healthy and there are no problems," he wrote on his Telegram channel on March 10.
Israeli Channel 12 had already reported on the injuries of Mohtaba Khamenei on March 7, pointing to his status as the main candidate for the position of supreme leader, which was previously held by his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 in an Israeli airstrike.
On March 8, his election was announced in Iran, and the next day the name of the new supreme leader became known — it was 56-year-old Mohtaba Khamenei, the second son of Ali Khamenei. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) pledged allegiance to the new leader of the country.
