Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that he recently met with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei for seven hours amid growing health concerns surrounding the leader. Pezeshkian emphasized that Khamenei's health is very good.
On August 10, according to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency, Pezeshkian met with political figures at the Ministry of Interior and said, "I spent about seven hours with the Supreme Leader discussing all national issues."
He added, "His health was very good, and he listened comfortably to the concerns and issues I raised, providing various directives."
The two discussed issues including public livelihoods, employment, housing, and the economic difficulties stemming from Western sanctions, as well as the domestic political situation. Pezeshkian noted that Khamenei particularly emphasized the importance of "maintaining unity and cohesion."
This statement appears to be an effort to quell the recent rumors regarding Khamenei's health. Since taking office as Supreme Leader in March, Khamenei has not appeared in public, and no photos, videos, or audio of him have been released.
Pezeshkian also fueled health concerns during a state television interview on August 5, where he remarked that communication with the Supreme Leader is very difficult. Following this, the opposition media outlet IranWire reported, citing multiple sources, that there are speculations within the Iranian leadership about Khamenei's serious condition. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
Mojtaba Khamenei is believed to have been injured during U.S. and Israeli airstrikes at the end of February, shortly after the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, he has not made any public appearances.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.