One hundred days after former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in an attack on his office in Tehran, the Islamic Republic has yet to bury the man who led the country for more than three decades. Officials have released no information about the condition or location of Khamenei's remains. Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed leadership following his father's death, has not appeared publicly since the attack. Officials insist he survived and suffered only minor injuries, but reports and rumors about more serious wounds have persisted.

More than one month after the devastating attack by Israeli fighter jets on Ali Khamenei’s office and residence (known as the Beit-e Rahbari), which resulted in the death of the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, high-ranking officials, and military commanders, the ruling regime in Iran has released no clear news regarding the status of Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been introduced as the new leader.[1] However, a hospital source told The Media Line that he remains in a medical intensive care unit at an underground location.[1] According to the source, one of his arms is completely incapacitated, and at least one of his legs is paralyzed… along with brain injuries and extensive trauma to the head and face, effectively preventing him from attending meetings.[1]

Mojtaba Khamenei was confirmed to be alive and safe by the semiofficial Mehr News Agency shortly after the airstrikes that killed his father, his wife, and other relatives. However, he has not made a public appearance since the onset of the conflict.

This week, Tehran confirmed allegations made by Israeli and American officials: Mojtaba Khamenei, appointed as Iran’s third leader on 8 March, sustained injuries during the February 28 attacks that resulted in his father’s death.[3] Iran confirmed Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded in the strikes that killed his father.[3] The piece analyses how his wounding, rather than death, affects the internal power structure in Iran.[3]

Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been appointed as Iran's new supreme leader following the death of his father during the initial day of the conflict initiated by the United States and Israel against Iran, as reported by state media.[4] The 56-year-old hardline cleric lost his mother, wife, and one sister in the same attack that claimed his father's life; however, reports indicate that he was not present during the strike and has survived the extensive bombings in Iran thus far.[4] In a statement disseminated through state media on Sunday, the assembly revealed that Khamenei was chosen through a 'decisive vote' and called on all Iranians… to 'swear allegiance to the leadership.'[4]

The Times of London has published new details about the health condition of Mojtaba Khamenei, who was reportedly injured in the same US-Israeli airstrike that killed his father.[2] The newspaper, citing information drawn from a diplomatic memo, reported that Mojtaba Khamenei is incapacitated and receiving medical treatment in the holy city of Qom. He "is being treated in Qom in a severe condition, unable to be involved in any decision making by the regime".[2] Opposition groups have claimed he has fallen into a coma, while other accounts suggest he sustained severe injuries, including a broken leg and facial trauma.[2]

There have been now rumors since March till April of this year about Mojtaba Khamenei being seriously injured, incapacitated, some reports even speculating that he could be dead from the strikes. However, there has been no official confirmation of his death, and authorities have remained silent on the claims.

Chanting against Iran's newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, could be heard in video posted on social media. Voices chanting 'Death to Mojtaba' echoed through buildings in a Tehran residential neighborhood on March 8. Pro-government supporters also rallied after Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen to replace his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli attack.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday and said that there are indications that Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is alive, expanding on the communication methods being used to negotiate with Tehran.[6] Asked, "Are you confident he's still alive?" Rubio answered: "Yeah, I think there's indications that… we’ve not heard from him publicly. We haven't seen him publicly… but that said, I think there are indications out there that he is increasingly engaging at some level, although all of his communications have been in writing and through intermediaries."[6]

Unlike Ali Khamenei, who was a prominent opponent of the shah and served as president in the first decade of the Islamic Republic before becoming leader, Mojtaba Khamenei has spent most of his career behind the scenes. Iranians knew little about him when he was appointed to this lifetime position shortly after his father Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on March 29 last year. It is said that Mojtaba Khamenei himself was injured. Despite messages issued in his name and activity on social networks, no conclusive evidence has been provided that he was alive after the March 29 attack, which also killed his wife Zahra Haddad Adel and other members of the Khamenei family. However, several Iranian officials have stated that he was wounded, leading to speculation that he may be avoiding public appearances until he fully recovers and for security reasons.

The development came as uncertainty continued over the succession process following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening strike of Operation Roaring Lion. Despite the reports, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly or issued any statement since the start of the war, and Iran’s clerical leadership has not formally announced a successor.

US sources report that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is reportedly in a coma and missing a leg following the February 28 US-Israel strikes that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to The Sun and Pentagon briefings, Mojtaba has been hospitalized under tight security at Sina University Hospital in Tehran, with IRGC issuing no official statement on his condition.

Mrad Vaseghi, senior analyst at Iran International, said: "With Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence from the funeral prayer for his father, the existing doubt about whether Mojtaba himself is alive or dead became stronger. The current situation is a weakness for the Islamic Republic from every side. The regime is facing the suspicion of whether its leader is alive or dead, and even if he is alive, there is serious doubt about his health. Even if he is completely healthy, which is probably not the case, the current situation shows the regime’s extreme fear and uncertainty about the killing of Khamenei’s successor."

The funeral prayer for former Iranian leader Ali Khamenei was held at 8 a.m. local time at Tehran’s Mosalla, led by Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani Tabrizi. In the past, it was expected that Mojtaba Khamenei would lead his father’s funeral prayer, but officials had already announced that Mojtaba would not perform the funeral prayer for his father. Since the start of the four-day national mourning and from the early moments of the war when some of his family members were killed, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public and no images of him have been published. Despite detailed information about funeral arrangements, it remains unclear whether Mojtaba Khamenei, as the current leader, will be present at the burial of his father.

More than one hundred days have passed since Mojtaba Khamenei was announced as Iran’s new leader, yet since then no image or even audio of him has been published.[10] The article discusses speculation about whether he is alive, noting that officials give conflicting, vague statements, and that some opposition sources claim he may have died or be in a coma, but it emphasizes there is no verified confirmation of his death.[10]

Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed power after the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, in a US-Israeli airstrike, has yet to make a public appearance, or even release an audio message, since being named Iran’s supreme leader.[9] The Economist notes that the supposed supreme leader has not been seen or heard since his appointment, fueling speculation about his health and capacity to rule.[9]

In an interview with Al Jazeera, [Iranian MP] declared: “As far as I know, there were only superficial injuries, and he is in perfect health.”[8] He made these remarks while dismissing reports that Mojtaba Khamenei had been severely wounded or incapacitated, insisting that the new leader was capable of fulfilling his duties.[8] IranWire contrasts these official reassurances with persistent rumors about serious injury or even disappearance.[8]

In this video program, the host states: “As you saw in the title of the show, news has arrived that Mojtaba Khamenei has been killed.” He continues that two hours earlier state TV had reported Mojtaba was injured, and then says: “Now news has come that Mojtaba Khamenei has died… those who informed me may be wrong, there is always error, but up to this moment I have received news that Mojtaba has died.”[1] The video presents the claim as breaking news from unnamed sources, while explicitly admitting the possibility of error and lack of official confirmation.[1]

In this analytical video about the rumors surrounding Mojtaba Khamenei, the narrator explains that after the Israeli operation "Lion of the Quran" in Tehran, Ali Khamenei was killed in an attack on his compound. However, his son Mojtaba did not die in that attack and now nobody knows where he is. The video notes that no official announcement has been made and no statement has been issued directly by Mojtaba himself; nonetheless, he has officially been declared the new leader by the Islamic Republic and by state television. The video states that only a few textual messages attributed to him have appeared and that according to more official reports some say his face was burned and he may be hospitalized due to his injuries.

The Instagram post’s caption reads in Persian: “The death of Mojtaba Khamenei has been confirmed.” It is followed by hashtags such as #Iran and #Mojtaba_Khamenei.[5] The post does not provide evidence, sources, or official documents; it is a bare assertion shared on a personal account with many likes and comments.[5]

Following the initial strikes, several outlets, such as Axios and Iran International, citing Israeli government sources, began reporting that Khamenei was dead. These reports around Khamenei's death were initially disputed by Iranian sources, with Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmail Baghaei stating that Khamenei was 'safe and sound', and Reuters reporting that Khamenei was transferred to a 'secure location' outside of Tehran.

Mojtaba Khamenei is also confirmed dead. Mojtaba was injured in the same strike that killed his father, sustaining wounds to his legs, arms, and hand.

Araznews reports that “some accounts claim Mojtaba Khamenei, due to severe injuries, after several days in the intensive care unit of Loqman Hospital in Tehran, died there.” The article frames this as an allegation from unnamed sources, noting that official Iranian authorities have not confirmed his death and that information about his condition is opaque.[8]

This Instagram reel discusses “several claims about the death of Mojtaba Khamenei” and shows his image widely used in public spaces.[7] The narrator questions why Mojtaba became Ali Khamenei’s successor and mentions circulating rumors about his possible death, presenting them as unverified social media claims rather than confirmed facts.[7]

A video segment from Firstpost summarises Western media reports and a leaked diplomatic memo claiming that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “incapacitated” and receiving treatment in the holy city of Qom.[5] The presenter notes that, according to these reports, he is in a severe condition and unable to perform his duties, though Iranian officials deny this and no independent confirmation has been produced.[5]

An Instagram reel reports that Israel’s Channel 12 has reported the discovery of Mojtaba Khamenei’s corpse in the office and residence complex of Ali Khamenei. The caption explains: "The image of Mojtaba Khamenei, the new leader of Iran, is everywhere in the city. But he himself has not been seen for months. This information vacuum means exactly this: as long as this empty space exists, rumors will circulate."

This Instagram reel describes the “details of Khamenei’s funeral in the absence of his son Mojtaba.” It notes that more than one hundred days after Ali Khamenei was killed, details of his funeral have finally been announced, and highlights that Mojtaba’s non-attendance fuels speculation about his health and possible death.[9] The video does not provide direct proof of Mojtaba’s death, only commentary on his absence.[9]

Voice of America Persian reports on the first commemoration of Ruhollah Khomeini’s death after Ali Khamenei was killed and notes a message attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei speaking of the “defeat of the enemy.”[3] The article emphasizes that three months after Ali Khamenei’s killing, the regime has still not clarified the burial arrangements, and that Mojtaba’s message is used to project continuity of leadership despite his own prolonged absence from public view.[3]

Tabnak’s profile on Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei describes him as “the third leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran” who assumed leadership after the martyrdom of his father, the previous leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei.[4] In a quoted statement about plans for Ali Khamenei’s burial, an official says: “Information about the presence of the Supreme Leader [Mojtaba] at this ceremony is within the competence of his office…this organizing committee has no authority or information on his presence,” highlighting official silence about Mojtaba’s status but not announcing his death.[4]

There are reports alleging that Mojtaba Khamenei's parents, wife, and son were killed in the strike. The thread also cites claims that Mojtaba Khamenei was dead, but it presents no verifiable primary evidence and is a user-generated discussion.

The Persian Wikipedia article on Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei states that he is “a Shia cleric who, since Esfand 1404 [March 2026], has been serving as the third leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”[2] It notes that he was injured in the air strike that killed his father and that rumors have been published claiming his physical condition is critical and that he was severely wounded during the attacks, but the article reports later that a May 1405 (May 2026) New York Times piece said he is undergoing recovery with serious injuries, multiple surgeries and has not yet appeared in public due to concerns about showing weakness.[2] The entry does not list him as deceased.[2]

Irans Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is either dead or incapacitated and the government is pretending he is making decisions. This is an unverified claim posted in a Reddit discussion and provides no reliable corroboration.

According to my background knowledge up to mid-2026, no major international wire service such as AP or Reuters, nor leading outlets like the BBC or The New York Times, have published a confirmed report that Mojtaba Khamenei is dead; coverage instead focuses on his serious injuries, prolonged absence and rumors, contrasting with opposition and social media claims of his death.[10][2]