Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued another written message, thanking Iraq for its support during the ongoing conflict, but his continued absence from public view has raised fresh questions about his condition and whereabouts.
Message thanking Iraq
In the latest communication, Khamenei expressed gratitude to Iraq for backing Iran. Iranian media reported that the message acknowledged both the Iraqi public and the country's senior religious leadership.
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He "expressed his appreciation to the supreme religious authority (in Iraq) and the people of Iraq for their clear stance against aggression against Iran and their support for our country", Hindustan Times cited the ISNA news agency as reporting, referring to Ali Sistani.
The message was conveyed following a meeting involving the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq and Iran's ambassador in Baghdad. However, details about how the message was transmitted were not disclosed, according to AFP.
No public appearance so far
Despite being named supreme leader after the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, in an airstrike on February 28, Mojtaba Khamenei has yet to appear in public. His communication has so far been limited to written statements.
These include an initial message after assuming leadership and another marking Nowruz, the Persian New Year. Both statements were read out on television by others rather than delivered directly by him.
State media has circulated images of him, but it has not confirmed whether the photographs are recent. Officials have suggested he is recovering from injuries sustained in an airstrike, though there has been no independent confirmation.
Speculation over condition
The absence has fuelled speculation internationally about his health and ability to lead. US President Donald Trump recently questioned Khamenei's condition in an interview with the Financial Times. "The son is either dead or in extremely bad shape. We've not heard from him at all. He's gone."
Trump also said Washington was in contact with a senior figure in Iran but clarified that the individual was not the supreme leader. "We have not heard from the son... We don't know if he is living," said Trump.
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Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's third supreme leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has taken charge during a period of conflict, with his leadership unfolding largely through written messages rather than public appearances.
