Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, is reportedly recovering from severe facial and leg injuries sustained on Feb. 28 in a U.S. airstrike that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in an attack on the supreme leader’s compound in central Tehran on the first day of the war initiated by the U.S. and Israel, Reuters reported, citing sources close to his inner circle, on Saturday.
Khamenei Recovering From Disfiguring Injuries
Khamenei’s condition, whereabouts, and ability to govern remain largely unknown to the public. There have been no images, videos, or audio recordings of him since the attack and his subsequent appointment as his father’s replacement on Mar. 8.
The report stated Khamenei remains mentally sharp despite his injuries, participating in meetings with senior officials via audio conferencing, including on the ongoing war and negotiations with Washington.
There has been no official statement from Iranian authorities detailing the extent of Mojtaba Khamenei’s injuries.
The news of Khamenei’s injuries comes at a critical moment for Iran, with high-stakes peace talks with the U.S. ending in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday without reaching an agreement.
U.S. Navy Begins Hormuz Mine Clearance Mission
Meanwhile, the U.S. military has launched operations to begin de-mining the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trading corridor for global energy markets. The strait has been effectively closed due to threats posed by Iranian counterstrikes on U.S. targets and energy infrastructure in the Gulf region.
The U.S. Central Command stated on Saturday that its forces have started setting conditions for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) transited the strait and operated in the Arabian Gulf.
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said.
Additional U.S. forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days, CENTCOM said.
The CENTCOM announcement comes after President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. aims to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “fairly soon.”
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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