The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has said he believes Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is still alive but may have suffered serious damage following recent attacks linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
Mojtaba Khamenei was elevated to the position after his father, Ali Khamenei, Iran’s former supreme leader, was reportedly killed on the first day of the war between the United States and Israel against Iran.
The new leader has not appeared in public since he was chosen by a clerical assembly on Sunday.
His first statement since assuming office was delivered through a television presenter on Thursday.
Speaking during an interview on The Brian Kilmeade Show aired by Fox News, Trump suggested that Khamenei might have survived the attacks but could be seriously affected.
“I think he probably is alive. I think he is damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form,” Trump said during the interview, which was published by the broadcaster late Thursday.
In his first remarks since emerging as Iran’s top leader, Mojtaba Khamenei warned that Iran would keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and urged neighbouring countries hosting American military bases to shut them down or face possible Iranian strikes.
The conflict began on February 28 after the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran.
Tehran has since carried out retaliatory strikes targeting Israel and some Gulf countries hosting US military facilities.
As the war approaches its second week, thousands of casualties have been reported, while the crisis has also rattled global financial markets.
Despite the growing humanitarian and economic impact, leaders in Iran, Israel and the United States have continued to issue strong statements, vowing to press on with the fight.