Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was injured during the Feb. 28 attack that killed six family members, including his father, according to Tehran’s ambassador to Cyprus.
Mojtaba Khamenei’s Injuries and Succession
Alireza Salarian, in an interview at his embassy in Nicosia, detailed the circumstances of the 56-year-old Khamenei’s injuries, stating he was fortunate to survive the strike that destroyed his father’s residence. “He was also there and he was injured in that bombardment but I haven’t seen that reflected in the foreign news,” Salarian said.
The ambassador reported hearing that Khamenei sustained injuries to his legs, hand, and arm and is currently hospitalized. Salarian explained the new leader’s absence from public appearances, stating, “I don’t think he is comfortable [in any condition] to give a speech.”
The attack occurred on the opening day of U.S.-led airstrikes against Iran, during the 10th day of Ramadan. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was at his residence with family members, including Mojtaba’s wife, Zahra, and his teenage son, Mohammad Bagher, all of whom were killed.
Iranian media reports indicate that Ali Khamenei’s wife, Mansour, died three days after the aerial strike. Salarian stated the late supreme leader was killed alongside his wife, daughter, son-in-law, and their 14-month-old baby, as well as top commanders who were visiting.
Public Statements and Concerns
Yousef Pezeshkian, a top government adviser and the son of Iran’s president, previously stated that Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded but did not elaborate. An Iranian official on Wednesday told Reuters that Khamenei was “lightly injured” and continuing to work. Iranian state TV described the new leader as a “wounded veteran of the Ramadan war” without specifying his injuries.
U.S. President Donald Trump called Mojtaba Khamenei’s election by an 88-member committee of clerics “an unacceptable choice,” predicting he “is not going to last long.” Israel has warned it will not hesitate to assassinate the new Shia cleric, considered as hardline as his father, who held the post for 37 years.
Salarian revealed that the late ayatollah had initially opposed his son’s succession, not wanting to establish a dynastic system. However, after the attack, top-ranking clergymen insisted on Mojtaba Khamenei taking the role.
Western intelligence services believe the new leader is being kept out of public view due to assassination concerns. “I don’t know if he [the new leader] is worried or not, but we know that the US, and especially Israel, will target him,” the ambassador said.
War’s Impact and Accusations
Salarian estimated the death toll from the war in Iran had reached 1,400 by Tuesday, with approximately half of Tehran’s 14 million residents fleeing the city due to the bombardment. He criticized Trump’s actions, stating the attacks demonstrated a disregard for international law.
He denied Iran’s intention to develop nuclear weapons, citing the late supreme leader’s declaration that such weapons are forbidden under Iran’s religious code. Salarian also noted Iran’s friendly relations with Cyprus, despite the presence of British bases on the island, which he claimed previously provided logistical support to Israeli and U.S. forces.
However, he stated there was no evidence of such support in the current attacks. RAF Akrotiri was reportedly struck by an Iranian-made Shahed drone on Feb. 28, with similar devices intercepted by British fighter jets the following day.
Salarian attributed the drone attacks to militia groups in Lebanon, claiming they were not coordinated with Iran and were beyond its control. He suggested, without providing evidence, that Israel may have “staged” the attack to involve other countries in the conflict. He stated that if the bases in Cyprus are used against Iran, Tehran has the right to respond, and denied Iranian involvement in the drone attacks, suggesting Israel may have orchestrated them.
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