Overview
- Yousef Pezeshkian, the president’s son and a government adviser, said Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded yet “safe and sound,” offering the first official explanation for his absence from public view.
- Iranian state TV has described the new leader as a “wounded veteran” of the current conflict, while a New York Times report citing Iranian officials says he suffered leg injuries and is sheltering at a highly secure site.
- Four days after his appointment by the Assembly of Experts, no photo, video or statement from Mojtaba has been released, as reports point to heightened security and elite protection for him.
- The IRGC has publicly pledged allegiance to the new leader, even as opposition figures claim the corps pressured the Assembly and that the late Ali Khamenei’s will opposed his son’s succession.
- Foreign reactions remain polarized, with North Korea, Russia, Pakistan and Oman offering congratulations, Israel threatening to target any successor, and President Trump calling Mojtaba an unacceptable choice.