Khamenei and Pezeshkian Reported Safe and Protected

Reuters has reported, citing a senior Iranian official, that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not in Tehran and has been relocated to a secure location.

This development comes in conjunction with announcements from the United States and Israel of a large-scale military operation against Iran on Saturday, 28 February 2026.

The Iranian news agency IRNA, citing sources from the Iranian presidency, reported that President Pezeshkian is in good health and well.

Nuruddin Al-Daghir, Director of Al Jazeera’s Tehran bureau, stated that the strikes were aimed at eliminating political leaders in an attempt to destabilise the regime, and noted that the Supreme Leader was not in Tehran at the time of the assault.

Iranian news agencies reported that multiple explosions occurred in the Iranian capital, Tehran, with additional reports indicating strikes on the cities of Qom, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Karaj.

Israel and the United States launched a joint military operation against Iran on Saturday, with explosions heard in Tehran and several other cities, including Qom, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Karaj.

United States President Donald Trump announced the operation against Iran, stating that he had just initiated a large-scale military operation in the country.

Trump further stated: “Our objective is to protect the American people by eliminating the emerging threat posed by the Iranian regime.”