Uncertainty continues to surround the whereabouts of Iran’s new Supreme Religious Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since assuming the role. Some claims suggest he may have secretly fled to Moscow, while others allege he is undergoing treatment at a secure location in Russia. These reports remain unverified.
Amid the speculation, details have emerged about how he narrowly escaped death during the missile strike that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Leaked audio reveals last-minute escape
The account comes from a leaked audio recording of a meeting among senior Iranian officials, cited in multiple reports. According to the audio, Mojtaba Khamenei had been inside the Tehran compound shortly before the strike but stepped out moments before missiles hit.
Mazaher Hosseini, protocol chief of the late leader’s office, was heard saying, “God’s will was that Mojtaba had to go out to the yard to do something and then return." "He was outside and was heading upstairs when they struck the building with a missile.”
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Moments after he stepped out of the building, Israeli Blue Sparrow ballistic missiles struck the compound, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with several senior officers and family members, Hindustan Times cited the report as saying.
Deadly strike on Tehran compound
The strike, described as a joint US-Israel operation, targeted the Tehran residence on April 28 and killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with several family members, senior officials, and security personnel.
According to the leaked audio, at least three missiles were used. One struck the section where the elder Khamenei was located, another hit the upper portion of Mojtaba Khamenei’s residence, and a third targeted the home of his brother-in-law, Misbah al-Huda Bagheri Kani.
As per the report by the Hindustan Times, Hosseini reportedly told those present that at least three missiles were used in the strike. One hit the section of the compound where the elder Khamenei was staying, another struck Mojtaba Khamenei’s residence on an upper floor, and a third targeted the home of his brother-in-law, Misbah al-Huda Bagheri Kani.
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The recording also outlined the scale of destruction caused by the attack. Hosseini said Iranian military chief Mohammad Shirazi was among those killed, adding that his body was severely damaged.
“He was blown to pieces – they could find nothing from him, and at the end they found a few kilos of flesh and identified it as his body,” Hosseini reportedly said.
Another missile hit Bagheri Kani’s residence within the compound, with Hosseini claiming the blast was so powerful that it “cut his head in half.”
According to the report, Mojtaba Khamenei survived the attack with a minor leg injury, while his wife, identified as Haddad, was killed in the strike. Another son of the late leader, Mostafa Khamenei, along with his wife, is said to have come through the attack without injuries.
Officials had reportedly urged Ayatollah Khamenei to move to a bunker before the strike, but he refused.
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Injuries and conflicting claims
The audio suggests Mojtaba Khamenei survived with minor injuries to his leg, even as the attack caused extensive destruction across the compound.
US President Donald Trump said uncertainty remains over his condition. “A lot of people are saying that he’s badly disfigured. They’re saying that he lost his leg, one leg, and he’s been hurt very badly. Other people are saying he’s dead,” Trump told the reporters, adding, "We haven’t seen him at all. We don’t know if he’s dead or not."
