Tehran, Iran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said interaction with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was increasing, in remarks broadcast by state media on Tuesday. Khamenei has not appeared publicly since an airstrike that killed his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, at the start of the Iran war.
President’s remarks
“The interaction level with our dear Supreme Leader is increasing day by day and should increase so that we can solve our problems with his guidance,” Pezeshkian said in a video clip.
Health and security concerns
Mojtaba Khamenei suffered severe facial and leg injuries in the February 28 attack, three people close to his inner circle told Reuters in April.
He has issued written statements since a clerical body appointed him Iran’s third supreme leader on March 8, but none has been accompanied by a new image or voice recording.
Senior sources told Reuters in July that the absence of images or recordings reflected health and security considerations. Security risks remain substantial following the assassination of his father in the first U.S. and Israeli strikes, which were launched during diplomatic efforts to resolve disputes between the countries.
Role of the Revolutionary Guards
Mojtaba Khamenei’s elevation was backed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, which viewed him as a reliable guardian of their hardline agenda. Sources familiar with Iran’s internal policymaking told Reuters in April that the Guards’ growing influence, strengthened by the war, pointed to a more aggressive foreign policy and tighter domestic repression.
