Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Friday warned that the country's “internal and external enemies” would be deprived of “security,” following the killing of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, according to an Associated Press report.
In a message addressed to President Masoud Pezeshkian, Khamenei expressed condolences over Khatib's death and urged officials to intensify efforts to safeguard the country. He said the ministry must respond by ensuring that “security is taken away from enemies and granted to all compatriots.”
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Khamenei, who recently assumed leadership after the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, has not made a public appearance since taking office. The former Supreme leader Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli airstrike at the onset of the conflict on February 28.
US and Israeli officials have suggested that Mojtaba Khamenei may have been injured during the ongoing hostilities, though there has been no independent confirmation. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and former US President Donald Trump have both claimed the Iranian leader sustained injuries, with Trump saying he was “probably alive in some form.”
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Amid uncertainty over his condition and whereabouts, Iranian state media recently aired what it described as footage of Mojtaba Khamenei teaching religious studies. However, the timing of the video was not disclosed, raising questions about its authenticity.
Separately, the US State Department has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information on Mojtaba Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials under its Rewards for Justice programme.
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