Kamal Ghorui
US President Donald Trump has questioned whether Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is even alive, fuelling fresh speculation about the cleric’s condition as the war between the United States, Israel and Iran intensifies across the Middle East.In an interview with NBC News on Saturday, Trump said he had seen no clear evidence that the 56-year-old leader remains alive, noting that Khamenei’s first message after assuming power was delivered in writing rather than through a public appearance.“I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him,” Trump said.The US president added that rumours about Khamenei’s fate were circulating widely. “I’m hearing he’s not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender,” Trump said, before describing reports of his death as a “rumour”.Khamenei rose to power after the killing of his father, longtime Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, who died in US-Israeli strikes on February 28. The attack triggered a wider regional conflict that has since expanded across the Gulf and the Levant.Since his appointment earlier this month, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly, prompting intense speculation inside and outside Iran about his health and whereabouts. A report by The New York Times, citing Iranian officials, said he may have been wounded during the initial attacks, including injuries to his legs. Iranian state television has also referred to him as a “wounded veteran” of the current war, though it has not provided details.Iranian officials have rejected suggestions that the cleric is incapacitated. Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said there was “no problem” with the new supreme leader after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed he had been wounded and possibly disfigured.Earlier, Yousef Pezeshkian, the son of Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, sought to calm speculation in a Telegram message. “I heard news that Mr Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured,” he wrote. “I have asked some friends who had connections. They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound.”The uncertainty over Khamenei’s condition comes as the regional war continues to widen. Iran has launched hundreds of missiles and drones towards Israel and US-aligned Gulf states, while Washington and Tel Aviv have carried out waves of strikes on Iranian military and infrastructure targets.Missiles have also been intercepted over countries including Bahrain and Jordan, while US bases across the region have come under attack. Israeli forces say they have struck more than 200 targets in Iran in recent days, including missile launchers and defence systems.The conflict has also begun to disrupt international commerce and regional stability. President Trump has urged countries such as China, Britain, France, Japan and South Korea to send naval forces to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil supplies.
