Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, narrowly survived a targeted airstrike on Feb. 28 that killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his wife, son, and several top Iranian military officials, according to leaked audio obtained by British newspaper The Telegraph.
Mojtaba Khamenei Survives Missile Strike
Leaked remarks from Mazaher Hosseini, head of protocol for Ali Khamenei’s office, provide a detailed account of the attack.
“God’s will was that Mojtaba Khamenei had to go out to the yard to do something and then return,” Hosseini said.
He described how Mojtaba was walking in the garden when missiles struck his residence at 9:32 a.m. local time.
The strike reportedly killed Mojtaba’s wife, Zahra Haddad-Adel, and their son Bagher instantly.
His brother-in-law, Misbah al-Huda Bagheri Kani, was decapitated, and Mohammad Shirazi, chief of the military bureau, was “blown to pieces,” Hosseini said.
Mojtaba Khamenei himself sustained only a minor leg injury.
The attack also hit multiple residences within the same compound, killing senior officials, including the IRGC chief Mohammad Pakpour and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, according to the audio.
“These devils had considered several locations within the office complex to strike – one of them was the place of the supreme leader,” Hosseini said.
He added, “They hit that location with three missiles.”
Trump Questions Status Of Iran’s Supreme Leader
On Monday, President Donald Trump said that it was unclear whether Mojtaba Khamenei was alive after reportedly being injured in an airstrike, reported Reuters.
“We don’t know … if he’s dead or not. I will say that nobody has seen him, which is unusual,” he said during an event at the White House.
Last week, Trump told Brian Kilmeade he believed Mojtaba Khamenei was likely alive, adding, “I think he is damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form, you know.”
Mojtaba Khamenei had suffered a fractured foot and minor facial injuries during the first day of the U.S.–Israel bombardment and was appointed supreme leader on March 8 after his father was killed.
Trump also previously said Mojtaba Khamenei would need U.S. approval to stay in power.
He said, “He’s going to have to get approval from us. If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long,”
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo Courtesy: Tomas Ragina on Shutterstock.com
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