A participant in a demonstration holds a picture of Iran’s spiritual leader, Moschtaba Khamenei. Image: DPA
There are currently no pictures of Modshtaba Khamenei since he took power in Iran. Apparently he is seriously injured.
April 11, 2026, 4:44 p.mApril 11, 2026, 4:44 p.m
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Modshtaba Khamenei is still recovering from serious injuries sustained in the airstrike at the start of the war, according to insiders. The 56-year-old’s face was disfigured when the spiritual and political leader’s building complex in the center of Tehran was shelled, three people close to Khamenei told the Reuters news agency.
He also suffered a significant injury to one or both legs. The attack, at the start of the war launched by the US and Israel on February 28, killed then-leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His son Moschtaba Khamenei was elected as his successor, but he has not appeared in public since then. The question arises as to whether he is even capable of running state affairs – and this in an extremely dangerous situation for Iran. Crucial talks with the USA about ending the war are scheduled to begin on Saturday in the Pakistani capital Islamabad.
According to the insiders, who wished to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the issue, Khamenei is recovering from his injuries and is mentally fit. He attends meetings with senior members of the leadership via audio conference and is involved in decision-making on important issues such as the war and negotiations with the United States, two of the insiders said.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Moschtaba Khamenei.Image: www.imago-images.de
No official reports yet
The reports from Khamenei’s entourage are the most detailed description to date of the new Supreme Leader’s condition. No photo, video or audio recordings of Modshtaba Khamenei have been released since the airstrike and his appointment as his father’s successor on March 8. Statements from him were read out. Khamenei’s whereabouts and condition remain a mystery to the public.
Khamenei was injured on February 28th. His father Ali Khamenei, who had ruled since 1989, was killed in the attack. Among the victims are Moschtaba Khamenei’s wife and his brother-in-law and sister-in-law. There was no official Iranian statement on the extent of Khamenei’s injuries. However, after his appointment, a news anchor on state television referred to him as “Janbas,” a term for people seriously wounded in the war.
Moschtaba Khamenei still has to prove himself
Regardless of the severity of his injuries, the new and less experienced leader is unlikely to be able to wield his father’s all-encompassing power, said Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute. Although he is seen as a guarantor of continuity, it could take years until he has built up the same level of self-evident authority. “Mojtaba will be a voice, but not the decisive one,” said Vatanka. “He has to prove himself as a credible, powerful, overarching voice.”
Senior Iranian insiders had told Reuters that the Revolutionary Guard, which helped him to office, had become the dominant voice in strategic decisions during the war.
Khamenei’s absence is being actively discussed on Iranian social media and in chat groups – if the patchy internet connection allows it. Conspiracy theories about his condition and who runs the country are widespread. A popular meme circulating online shows an empty chair in the spotlight with the question, “Where is Modshtaba?
Sources used:
- Reuters news agency