Mojtaba Khamenei: what's happening and what it means

Earlier, on April 28, Deputy Representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran in India, Mohammad Hossein Ziyaeenia, had said that the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is in "a good situation and fine". Mojtaba Khamenei has emerged this Friday as one of the stories drawing attention in Qatar.

Key facts

• Earlier, on April 28, Deputy Representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran in India, Mohammad Hossein Ziyaeenia, had said that the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is in "a good situation and fine".
• The New York Times had reported earlier that Mojtaba Khamenei has largely remained out of public view following the February 28 airstrikes on the compound of the former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, where he had been residing.
• Senior Iranian official Mohsen Qomi has said that Mojtaba Khamenei survived US-Israeli strikes which killed his father, his wife and his son by minutes.
• Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, survived a strike on the country’s leadership compound in Tehran after leaving the building minutes before it was hit, a senior official said on Friday, as authorities sought to counter rumours about his condition.
• Mojtaba Khamenei said the only place Americans belonged in the Persian Gulf is at the bottom of its waters. | World News.

What we know

Going deeper, the New York Times had reported earlier that Mojtaba Khamenei has largely remained out of public view following the February 28 airstrikes on the compound of the former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, where he had been residing.

On the substance, Senior Iranian official Mohsen Qomi has said that Mojtaba Khamenei survived US-Israeli strikes which killed his father, his wife and his son by minutes.

Beyond the headlines, Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, survived a strike on the country’s leadership compound in Tehran after leaving the building minutes before it was hit, a senior official said on Friday, as authorities sought to counter rumours about his condition.

More precisely, Mojtaba Khamenei said the only place Americans belonged in the Persian Gulf is at the bottom of its waters. | World News.

It is worth noting that Mojtaba Khamenei became supreme leader after the US and Israel launched a massive campaign of strikes on Iran on February 28, killing his father and predecessor Ali Khamenei.

By the numbers

At this stage, Qomi said that despite his injuries, Iranian officials were now focused on preserving the Supreme Leader's life.

On a related note, the message by Khamenei, who has yet to appear in public since his appointment on March 9 as Iran’s new supreme leader, came on the annual national celebration of “Persian Gulf” day in Iran.

Going deeper, the strike on the leadership compound in central Tehran took place on 28 February, during what Iranian officials described as the first day of US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

On the substance, Iran long has maintained its program is peaceful, though it enriched uranium at near-weapons-grade levels of 60%.

What they're saying

“Today, two months after the largest military deployment and aggression by the world’s bullies in the region, and the United States’ disgraceful defeat in its plans, a new chapter is unfolding for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” said Khamenei in the message.

“Any attempt to impose a maritime blockade or restrictions is contrary to international law... and is doomed to fail,” Pezeshkian said.

The wider context

On a related note, Tehran: Ayatollah Mohsen Qomi, Member of the Assembly of Experts and the Deputy for International Affairs in the office of the Supreme Leader of Iran, dismissed claims by the US on Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and said that the leader is healthy, Fars News Agency reported.

Going deeper, some people ask about the health status of His Eminence the Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei.

On the substance, Qomi also confirmed that Mojtaba Khamenei was in the building which was bombed, but was ultimately saved.

Beyond the headlines, the situation of our Supreme Leader, Hazrat Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei, is, thanks to God, good.

More precisely, since then, access to Mojtaba Khamenei has been highly restricted, with only a limited circle--primarily medical personnel--attending to him as he recovers from injuries sustained in the strikes, The New York Times reported.

The bottom line

• The New York Times had reported earlier that Mojtaba Khamenei has largely remained out of public view following the February 28 airstrikes on the compound of the former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, where he had been residing.
• Some people ask about the health status of His Eminence the Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei.
• The situation of our Supreme Leader, Hazrat Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei, is, thanks to God, good.