Tehran (TIP): Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is in a coma and has lost at least one leg after being critically wounded during an air strike that killed his father, according to a report by The Sun. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also backed the claim, saying at a press briefing that Mojtaba was likely disfigured as well.
The British tabloid reported that the 56-year-old son of assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei suffered severe injuries and is currently undergoing treatment in Tehran. Sources cited by The Sun claimed the new leader “lost at least one leg and has also suffered serious stomach or liver damage”.
The report said it was unclear whether Mojtaba Khamenei was injured during the same strike on February 28 that killed his 86-year-old father, but it added that he is not currently directing Iran’s war strategy, which has been blamed for turmoil in global energy markets.
According to The Sun, Khamenei is being treated under tight security at the Sina University Hospital in Tehran. The report cited a source in the Iranian capital who said the leader is in “very serious” condition.
“One or two of his legs have been cut off. His liver or stomach has also ruptured. He is apparently in a coma as well,” the source told The Sun. The source claimed the hospital unit treating the leader has been sealed off and placed under heavy security as doctors continue intensive care treatment.
The report said veteran trauma surgeon Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi, Iran’s minister of health and a senior surgeon with experience treating war injuries, is overseeing the treatment.
According to The Sun, Iranian state television has attempted to maintain the appearance of leadership by broadcasting what it described as Khamenei’s first statement since taking power.
The statement, read by a news anchor rather than the leader himself, warned that Iran would avenge the blood of Iranians and continue attacks targeting regional shipping routes, including threats to block the Strait of Hormuz.
The report also claimed Iran’s leadership structure may be continuing the war without direct orders from Khamenei.
An Iranian analyst quoted by The Sun said the country’s military operations could proceed even without an active leader.
The Sun said the claims could not be independently verified due to internet restrictions inside Iran and the tight security surrounding the leader’s reported treatment.
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