Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, is recovering from severe facial and leg injuries sustained during the airstrike that killed his father at the beginning of the war, sources say.
Three sources close to the leader told Reuters that the Khamenei’s face was disfigured in the attack on the supreme leader's compound in central Tehran.
All three sources said that he suffered injury to one or both legs; however, he is still mentally sharp.
Khamenei is reportedly taking part in meetings via audio conferencing and is engaged in decision making on major issues, including the war and negotiations with Washington. Two of the sources said
A source familiar with Us intelligence told Reuters that Khamenei reportedly lost a leg.
Khamenei’s whereabouts since the attacks on February 28 have been kept under the wraps from the public.
He has not appeared in any photo, video or audio recording since he was appointed the new supreme leader, replacing his father.
Earlier reports about the supreme leader had claimed that Khamenei was in a severe condition and was unable to take part in decision-making. Some alleged that he was in a coma.
The uncertainty behind the low profile kept by Khamenei has led to speculation on who is effectively running Iran at the moment
His father and predecessor Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wife and brother in law and sister in law were all killed in the same strikes that injured him.
There has been no official statement made by the Iranian regime on Khamenei's health.
One newsreader on state television described him as “janbaz”, a word used for the badly wounded after a war.
The reports on Khamenei’s health have come amid a high stakes talk between the Iranian and US officials in Islamabad.
