Khamenei's video appears amid health rumours

Days following Israeli media's claim that Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was in critical condition and had been transported to a medical facility, Iran's official news agency, Mehr News, released an undisclosed video featuring Khamenei appearing to be in sound health. The video's unearthing aimed to counteract the growing rumors about Khamenei's health and his whereabouts. The video was first published by Mehr, an official news agency under the Iranian government's Islamic Development Organisation.

Earlier on Friday, Israeli news outlets had reported that Khamenei was in a severely critical state. Channel 14 cited sources within Iran, while a previous report by The Jerusalem Post, quoting IranWire and sources close to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's administration, suggested that concerns over his health were circulating within Iran's leadership.

One source quoted by The Jerusalem Post claimed that the possibility of his martyrdom was not far-fetched. Khamenei ascended to the position of Supreme Leader following the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint US-Israeli military operation on February 28. Since then, Khamenei has not made any public appearances and has communicated exclusively through written statements.

Reports suggest that Khamenei was injured and possibly disfigured during the initial strikes that targeted his father's residence, leading to his retreat and necessitating a network of intermediaries for discreet communication with senior regime figures to evade potential targeting. Heightening the uncertainty surrounding his situation, President Masoud Pezeshkian admitted in a televised interview that direct contact with Khamenei is currently quite challenging.

Adding to the speculation about his whereabouts and condition, President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged in a state TV interview that engaging with Khamenei is currently quite difficult. International and regional reports have consistently questioned his physical location and capacity. In July, a Saudi news outlet, al-Hadath, cited an Israeli security source claiming that Khamenei was not present in Iran.

At the same time, former US President Donald Trump stated on Fox News that Iran's top military leadership had been eliminated, asserting that Khamenei was 90% incapacitated following the military campaign. While Iranian state officials have previously downplayed the severity of his initial injuries, the ongoing absence of live appearances or direct public addresses has fueled intense regional and international speculation concerning his health and leadership stability.