Where Is Mojtaba Khamenei? Trump Says He's Hearing Iranian Supreme Leader ‘Not Alive’

Last Updated:March 15, 2026, 07:21 IST

Mojtaba Khamenei was declared Iran’s new supreme leader earlier this week after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed during the initial US-Israeli strikes.

Iran-US War: US President Donald Trump has questioned whether Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive, raising fresh speculation about his condition amid the ongoing war between Iran, Israel and the United States.

In an interview with NBC News, the US President was asked about Mojtaba Khamenei’s status after it was reported that the latter was injured during US-Israeli strikes on a Tehran compound on February 28, the attack in which his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed.

“I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him. I’m hearing he’s not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender," Trump told the news outlet.

Earlier on Friday, Trump said that Mojtaba Khamenei is likely still alive “in some form," even as speculation grows over the extent of his injuries.

Speaking on the Fox News Radio programme hosted by Brian Kilmeade, Trump suggested the Iranian leader may have survived the attack but suffered serious harm.

“I think he probably is. I think he is damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form," Trump said in the interview, which was recorded on Thursday and aired on Friday.

Mojtaba Khamenei was declared Iran’s new supreme leader earlier this week after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed during the initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Where Is Mojtaba Khamenei?

Since his appointment, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly, fuelling speculation about his health and whereabouts. CNN quoted a source saying that Mojtaba had suffered a fractured foot, a bruised left eye and minor lacerations to his face on the first day of the US and Israel’s bombardment campaign almost two weeks ago.

Iranian authorities released a written statement attributed to him this week vowing to continue pressure on US allies and maintain efforts to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

In the address, he warned of retaliation and called for intensified pressure on regional rivals.

“We will not refrain from avenging the blood of your martyrs," Khamenei said, urging Iran to consider closing the Strait of Hormuz and to continue strikes on Gulf Arab neighbours.

He also appealed to people in Gulf countries to disrupt US military bases, claiming American security guarantees were “nothing more than a lie."

However, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth slammed Khamenei saying “Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father: dead; he’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run, and he lacks legitimacy."

Iranians Joke Iran’s New Supreme Leader Is ‘AI-Generated’

Meanwhile, Mojtaba’s public absence has raised questions. According to CNN, doctored images of Mojtaba Khamenei as a cardboard cutout sitting in the seat of power have circulated widely on social media, alongside memes mocking the mystery surrounding his whereabouts.

Besides, there is also very little footage of the new leader that, CNN reported, government news outlets and state-backed social media channels have resorted to circulating AI-generated videos of him to drum up support.

In the videos, the new leader reportedly could be seen delivering speeches to large crowds and standing beside his father at key moments – scenes that never actually occurred. The other photos showed the elder Khamenei passing on the mantle of the revolution to his son, or Mojtaba embracing the slain Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.

“They’re calling him the AI supreme leader," CNN quoted an Iranian.

News world Where Is Mojtaba Khamenei? Trump Says He's Hearing Iranian Supreme Leader ‘Not Alive’

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