Trump Confident Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Injured in US-Israeli Attack
United States President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in an attack carried out jointly by the United States and Israel. The attack, launched on 28 February 2026, killed Mojtaba’s father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several family members.
Trump made this claim during an interview with Fox News journalist Brian Kilmeade, broadcast on Thursday evening (12 March) local time, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters reports.
“I think he might be alive. I think he’s injured, but I think he may still be alive under certain conditions, you know,” Trump said in the interview.
Mojtaba has not appeared publicly since being announced as Iran’s third Supreme Leader. He was selected by Iran’s Assembly of Experts in an announcement made on Sunday (1 March).
Mojtaba’s first statement as Supreme Leader was delivered in written form and read by an Iranian state television presenter on Thursday (12 March) local time.
An unnamed source within Tehran told Reuters on Wednesday (11 March) that Mojtaba had suffered minor injuries. However, the 56-year-old leader is said to be carrying out normal activities.
Previously, Iranian state television described Mojtaba as “a war veteran wounded in the Ramadan war”, but never specified the nature of his injuries.
A spokesman for the Iranian government, Yousef Pezeshkian, who is also the son of President Masoud Pezeshkian, stated that Mojtaba is “safe and well”.
In his first public statement, Mojtaba swore to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and called on countries neighbouring Iran to close US military bases in their territory, or risk becoming targets of Tehran.
In a separate statement at the White House, Trump claimed the war against Iran is “moving very quickly”. He also praised the US military.
“The situation with Iran is moving very quickly. They’re doing it very well, our military is unmatched,” Trump said, according to Agence France-Presse.
“They (Iran) are truly a nation of terror and hatred, and they are paying a heavy price now,” he added.
This statement came after Mojtaba released his first public comment. However, Trump did not directly respond to Mojtaba’s statement, in which he swore to retaliate and pledged to continue fighting against the US and Israel.
In recent days, Trump has given various indications of progress in the war against Iran. He has claimed that “we are winning” against Iran and mentioned that the war could end “very soon”. However, Trump has also insisted that fighting must continue.