Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was pulled from the rubble of a Tehran medical center after joint US and Israeli strikes targeted the facility where he was recovering from an earlier attack, a senior Iranian cleric has revealed.
Mohsen Heydari, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, disclosed to Qatari television network Al Araby that the 56-year-old leader was caught in a series of bombardments on medical infrastructure in the capital. Heydari stated, "Even after he had been wounded and taken to the hospital, three hospitals in Tehran were bombed. Mojtaba Khamenei was in the third hospital and was pulled from the rubble."
Succession Amidst Conflict
These targeted strikes followed an initial operation on February 28 that hit Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Tehran compound, killing the 86-year-old supreme leader and several senior figures. Following his rescue from the hospital site, the younger Khamenei vanished into an undisclosed location and has not made a public appearance or broadcast audio since the conflict intensified.
Heydari also detailed the clandestine proceedings that led to Mojtaba Khamenei's succession on March 8. The Assembly of Experts, the constitutional body tasked with choosing the supreme leader, itself came under fire when its Qom Secretariat was bombed, killing eight people and destroying official recommendations.
To proceed under heavy bombardment, assembly members gathered in an undisclosed location. Each member wrote their vote on paper after receiving reports confirming Khamenei’s physical status and readiness to assume office. "We obtained information that Mojtaba Khamenei was healthy and able to lead, and we determined that he met the requirements of religious qualification, justice and competence to manage the country," Heydari explained. Khamenei secured 50 of 59 votes, while eight went to Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, and one member abstained. Heydari added that Khamenei was unaware of his appointment until it was broadcast on Iranian state television, noting he was "legally and religiously" obligated to accept the post.
Conflicting Reports on Health
Conflicting accounts persist regarding Mojtaba Khamenei's physical condition. US intelligence assessments previously indicated severe injuries from the initial strikes, a sentiment echoed by US President Donald Trump, who stated last month that Khamenei was "very seriously wounded" on the left side of his body.
Conversely, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed during an interview in New York this week that he met with Khamenei for seven hours and described him as "completely" healthy, directly contradicting the US assessments.