The head of the International Affairs Office of Iran’s Assembly of Experts leadership institution, Mohsen Qomi, offering fresh insights into Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s condition, confirmed that while the younger Khamenei was indeed wounded in the February 28 strike, which killed his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials, he claimed the supreme leader was “in full health” and carrying out his duties.
As Mojtaba Khamenei has been neither seen or heard from directly since he was announced as his father’s successor, US officials have claimed that he is heavily wounded and most likely disfigured in the attack, and has little role in decision making given his injuries.
“He was in the building at the time, the same building that was bombed and where those inside were martyred. A few minutes earlier, by coincidence or by divine will, he had gone into the courtyard, and God intended him to be spared,” Qomi said in a video published by Iran’s Fars news agency. “I assure you that despite the injuries he sustained there — God Almighty preserved him.”
Dismissing US claims on Mojtaba’s condition as deliberate efforts to create uncertainty within Iran, and pressurise the regime via misdirection and fabricated claims, he called it part of an elaborate deception tactic.
“This is a tactic of the enemy, trying to say: why is he not present? Why does he not send an audio message Why does he not send a video message Why do those who have met him not come forward to report it They want, through these ‘whys,’ to force us into reactions while they continue their own plans,” said Qomi.
“He is in full health and is managing affairs. He is overseeing both negotiations and field matters under his supervision, and recently he also gave some instructions to the negotiating team regarding what they should do under certain conditions. He has full oversight over these issues,” Qomi added.
His statement, however, did not offer any new evidence to back up his claims that it is indeed Khamenei who is leading the country, and not other officials, or the IRGC, as has been insinuated.
While confirmed to be alive, all statements attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei have been passed as written statements, ever since he was announced as the supreme leader, and he is yet to make any official televised statement by himself.
