US President Donald Trump said that he thinks new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, whose father, the former supreme leader, was killed on the first day of the US and Israel's war on Iran, is alive but "damaged."
Khamenei has not been seen by Iranians since his selection on Sunday by a clerical assembly, and his first comments were read out by a television presenter on Thursday.
An Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday that the newly appointed supreme leader was lightly injured but was continuing to operate, after state television described him as war-wounded.
"I think he probably is (alive). I think he is damaged, but I think he's probably alive in some form, you know," Trump said in an interview on Fox News' "The Brian Kilmeade Show." His remarks were published by Fox News late on Thursday.
In Khamenei's first comments, he vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz shut and called on neighboring countries to close US bases on their territory or risk Iran targeting them.
Also Read: Iran’s new supreme leader demands closure of US bases in Middle East
The US and Israel began attacks on Iran on February 28. Iran has responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf countries with US bases.
As the war approached the two-week mark, having killed thousands and shaken financial markets, the leaders of Iran, Israel and the United States all voiced defiance and have vowed to fight on.
On Thursday, Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, delivered his first public audio message, signaling a hardline stance amid escalating regional tensions.
In his statement, Khamenei demanded the immediate closure of all US military bases in the Middle East, warning that any failure to comply would prompt direct attacks.
“The enemy is targeting the Iranian people, and we will avenge the blood of the martyrs of Minab schools,” Khamenei said. He emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed and underscored the need for national unity to defeat adversaries.
Khamenei further stressed that his authority derives from the support of the people. “Without the government of the people, I have no standing. The citizens must remain united to defeat the enemy,” he said. He pledged to seek guidance from the Quran in serving the nation and affirmed his commitment to follow the footsteps of great leaders under divine guidance.
The Supreme Leader also vowed comprehensive military readiness: “If the war continues, all fronts will be activated in ways the enemy has never faced. Iranian forces will not allow the adversary to dominate. Through public unity, we will defeat the enemy.”
