Iran's Foreign Minister: Ayatollah Khamenei Remains Alive
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has issued an official statement regarding the current condition of Iran’s Supreme Leader and Tehran’s political position following a massive aerial assault on its territory.
In an exclusive interview with NBC News, Araghchi affirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei remains alive, responding to circulating speculation about his status.
“To the best of my knowledge, Ayatollah Khamenei is still alive,” Araghchi stated.
Key points from Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s remarks include:
Responding to Donald Trump’s rhetoric about regime change in Iran, Araghchi dismissed the notion as an impossibility, describing such an agenda as a “mission impossible.”
Araghchi stated that there is currently no communication channel with Washington. He emphasised that if the United States wishes to open dialogue, they already know how to contact Iran. However, he set an absolute precondition: “Attacks must cease first before there is any possibility for dialogue.”
Regarding the impact of the assault on Iranian leadership, the diplomat acknowledged military losses. He confirmed that one or two commanders were killed in the strike, but assured that most other senior officials survived.
Araghchi emphasised that opportunities remain to achieve an agreement ensuring Iran’s nuclear programme remains peaceful in purpose. He also clarified the issue of missile threats against America: “Iran does not have the capability to attack the United States and will not develop missiles to do so.”
The Israeli military (IDF) previously stated that its aerial assault on Tehran targeted strategic locations where senior Iranian political and security figures were gathered. The IDF disclosed that this operation had been carefully planned over months, with Israeli military intelligence focused on identifying gaps and opportune moments when Iran’s leadership elite were concentrated in a single location. The IDF also claimed that the timing of the assault provided strategic advantage, noting that striking in the morning rather than at night created a “tactical surprise” effect.
The Israeli military is currently conducting further assessments of the strike’s results and damage impact. The Iranian government has strongly condemned the action and openly declared its readiness to launch retaliatory strikes to protect national sovereignty.