US President Donald Trump asserts that Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is “not alive.” He adds that if Khamenei survives, he should surrender to protect his nation.
Trump shared these remarks during a phone interview with NBC News on Saturday. They come after Khamenei, aged 56, failed to deliver his anticipated first public address on camera Thursday.
“I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him,” Trump stated. “I’m hearing he’s not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender.”
Injury reports Tehran
Sources in Tehran report that Khamenei suffered severe injuries in an alleged strike attributed to the US or Israel. The injuries reportedly include the loss of at least one leg and significant damage to the abdomen or liver.
He receives treatment at Sina University Hospital in Tehran’s historic district, where security forces have secured the area. Iranian state television confirms the leader sustained wounds, though independent verification remains elusive amid an ongoing internet blackout.
Official Statements on Khamenei’s Condition
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated he lacks details on the injury severity but knows Khamenei “is alive and functioning.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed concerns, saying there is “no problem” with the new leader.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described Khamenei as “wounded and likely disfigured.”
