Iran's foreign minister is pushing back on reports that the country's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was seriously wounded in recent strikes, insisting the leader remains healthy and in charge.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Khamenei "is in excellent health" and remains "in control of the situation, and present at his post," according to comments reported by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
"The timing of televised messages or direct appearances before the people is his prerogative," Araghchi added.
The statement comes amid conflicting reports about the condition of the 56-year-old leader following Israeli strikes at the start of the war that reportedly killed several members of his family, including his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, and his wife.
No images of Khamenei have been released since the attack. His first apparent public remarks since then came Thursday in a statement read by a television presenter.
On Friday, War Secretary Pete Hegseth said American officials believe Khamenei is "wounded and likely disfigured."
Adding to the uncertainty, multiple media outlets reported Sunday that Khamenei was secretly flown to Russia for medical treatment after being injured in airstrikes on Tehran.
According to those reports, Khamenei was transported to Moscow aboard a Russian military aircraft after strikes on Feb. 28 and underwent surgery at a private hospital connected to one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's residences.
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