Rare video of supreme leader released by Iran, mystery surrounds Mojtaba Khamenei’s health

At a time when Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence from public appearances has fueled speculation about his health, Iran’s state media have broadcast previously unreleased footage of the supreme leader.

The undated video shows Khamenei delivering a religious lesson to a group of people. Reports suggest it may have been recorded before the start of the war, but the media outlets that published it have not clarified when the footage was filmed.

It is the first video to be released since March, when Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed supreme leader following the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, in the early days of Iran’s war.

Since taking the post, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared in public even once. His messages and communications have been conveyed solely through Iran’s state media.

The fact that the footage is undated has heightened doubts about the Iranian leader’s whereabouts and state of health. The video was also published by the semi-official Mehr news agency, which is considered close to Iran’s leadership, while the rest of Iran’s media have not widely circulated it.

Previous reports claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei had broken his leg and sustained minor facial injuries during the first day of the US and Israeli bombing campaign.

No visible signs of these injuries can be seen in the recently released video. However, because the footage is undated, it is impossible to determine precisely when it was recorded.