Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is injured but “safe and sound”, the son of the president said Wednesday, offering the first official explanation for why the 56-year-old has not been seen since his appointment at the weekend. “I heard news that Mr Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. Mojtaba Khamenei, until now a low-profile but powerful behind-the-scenes figure, was named Iran’s number one following the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, in an air strike at the start of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic. The Iranian supreme leader position is for life and he also serves as a religious guide for Shia Muslims. Before his nomination to the position, US President Donald Trump had warned that Khamenei would be “unacceptable” as the new supreme leader.

Source: Punch March 11, 2026 16:07 UTC