Pete Hegseth Says Iran Supreme Leader Wounded
Hegseth Says Iran Supreme Leader Wounded
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday that Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is wounded and likely disfigured, marking the first official public statement from the Trump administration on his health since he assumed leadership. The remarks came as questions continued over Tehran’s command structure during the ongoing conflict and after Mojtaba Khamenei’s first public message was released only in written form.
Pete Hegseth On Mojtaba Khamenei Health
At a press briefing, Hegseth said Iran’s leadership was weakened and accused senior figures of going underground. He claimed Mojtaba Khamenei was injured and suggested that his condition was one reason why no video appearance had been made. The statement was significant because Washington had so far avoided making direct official comments on the Iranian leader’s medical status, even as speculation intensified in international media and diplomatic circles.
Written Message Fuels Health Questions
The comments followed Mojtaba Khamenei’s first public message since taking over after the death of his father, Ali Khamenei. That message was carried on Iranian state television as a written statement without any accompanying image or video. Hegseth pointed to that format as a sign of weakness and uncertainty at the top of Iran’s political and military system. The absence of visual confirmation has continued to fuel questions over both his health and his ability to exercise full authority during wartime.
Iran Leadership Stability Under Scrutiny
The latest remarks also underline growing US messaging that Iran’s chain of command may be under strain. According to reports, President Donald Trump had also told G7 leaders earlier this week that Mojtaba Khamenei was not in good shape. Even so, there has been no independent official visual confirmation of the extent of his injuries. The issue now goes beyond personal health, as uncertainty around Iran’s top leadership is increasingly being seen as a strategic factor in the wider war and in any future diplomatic or military decisions.
