Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, a former heart surgeon, has provided an update on the health of Supreme Leader Majtaba Khamenei, stating that he has fully recovered from his injuries. According to Pezeshkian, Khamenei's injuries, which included wounds to his face, legs, and head, were superficial and have healed. The update comes after weeks of speculation about Khamenei's health following a US-Israeli airstrike in February.
The airstrike, which targeted a complex in Tehran, resulted in Khamenei being hospitalized. His spokesperson, Hossein Kermanpour, had previously disclosed that Khamenei suffered from minor injuries, including scratches on his face, head, and legs, which did not require surgical intervention. Kermanpour emphasized that Khamenei's condition was never life-threatening and that he was discharged from the hospital on March 1.
In May, Iranian media outlets reported statements from Morteza Hosseini, the head of ceremonies at Khamenei's office, providing details about the Supreme Leader's health and injuries. Hosseini, who was present at the office during the airstrike, described how Khamenei was slightly injured while heading home, sustaining bruises on his knee and back. He confirmed that Khamenei's back injury had healed, and he was in good health.
There have been conflicting reports about the severity of Khamenei's injuries. US media outlets previously reported that Khamenei suffered severe burns, which affected his ability to speak and left him in a coma. However, other reports suggested that while Khamenei was injured, he was not in a coma and had simply chosen not to appear in public or record any video or audio messages.
To communicate, Khamenei's team has been using handwritten letters, as reported by The New York Times. The Supreme Leader has undergone several surgeries, including complex procedures on his leg and face. President Pezeshkian has been leading a crisis team overseeing Khamenei's medical care.
In August, Khamenei appeared in a 13-second video, his first public appearance since assuming the role of Supreme Leader. The video, released by the Mehr news agency, showed Khamenei sitting and surrounded by students, but it did not include any audio or timestamp. The authenticity and recency of the video have not been confirmed.
The reasons behind Khamenei's limited public appearances have been attributed to both his health and security concerns. According to the Iranian newspaper Hemshahri, the advancement in surveillance and intelligence technologies poses a significant threat, making it essential for Khamenei to avoid public appearances and recordings that could be used to locate him.
Key points
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirms that Supreme Leader Majtaba Khamenei has recovered from his injuries.
- Khamenei's injuries were sustained during a US-Israeli airstrike in February and included wounds to his face, legs, and head.
- The Supreme Leader has made limited public appearances since his appointment, citing health and security concerns.
