Overview
- Sources close to Mojtaba Khamenei’s circle said Saturday he remains mentally alert and is taking part in the Islamabad peace talks by audio from an undisclosed location.
- Those sources described severe facial injuries and major leg wounds, and a person familiar with U.S. intelligence assessments said he may have lost a leg.
- No photo, video, or audio of him has appeared since the February 28th strike and his March 8th elevation, though state TV called him a war-wounded “janbaz” and the U.S. defense chief said he was likely disfigured.
- The Islamabad meetings bring senior U.S. and Iranian officials into direct talks with Pakistan as facilitator to try to extend a two‑week truce that began Wednesday, with the U.S. side led by Vice President JD Vance and Iran represented by Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
- Analysts cited by Reuters say his low profile undercuts a leader who is expected to command all state bodies in Iran, leaving the Revolutionary Guards to drive wartime strategy for now.