Has the son of Khamenei just been elected as the Supreme Leader, and then something happened to him?
After Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Khamenei, was elected as the new Supreme Leader of Iran, recent rumors on the Internet have claimed that he was injured or even died in the US-Israeli air strikes.
The most direct "evidence" for these claims comes from a detail: after being elected as the Supreme Leader, Mojtaba should have given a public speech as per convention, but he did not appear that day, and only a photo was used instead.
Iran's way of promotion is really hard to understand...
Additionally, another piece of "evidence" repeatedly cited is from an Iranian state TV report. When introducing Mojtaba's appointment, Iranian state TV used the title "Jaanbaz of Ramadan" (a wounded warrior of Ramadan) — since Iran officially refers to the recent US-Iran conflict as the "Ramadan War," some Western media and online analysts quickly linked the two, interpreting it as Mojtaba being injured in the US-Israeli air strike.
At this point, various versions of rumors about Mojtaba suffering serious injuries, being in emergency treatment, or even having died began to circulate online. For example, an account claiming to be a former Israeli Defense Forces member vividly described that on the day Khamenei was assassinated, Mojtaba's residence was also attacked, with his left leg broken, shoulder injured, and two severe blows to his pelvis, along with other injuries.
Although there is no concrete evidence, all the information seems to suggest that Mojtaba was injured
For instance, an Iranian opposition media person knows the name of the doctor who performed surgery on Mojtaba, confidently stating that Mojtaba is currently in intensive care, relying on a ventilator to stay alive, unaware of what is happening outside, and even doesn't know that he has been elected as the Supreme Leader.
However, beneath the fog, the factual basis is weak. It is worth noting that so far, neither the Iranian, Israeli, nor American authorities have confirmed the claim that Mojtaba was injured.
A former Israeli Defense Forces member claims Mojtaba was injured
These accounts that seem to have "inside information" and confidently claim that Mojtaba was seriously injured have always had vague sources. Some say "according to Iranian media reports," while others attribute it to "Israeli intelligence department leaks." As for which specific Iranian media or which Israeli official, they have not specified.
Meanwhile, mainstream Israeli media, such as The Times of Israel, have not mentioned anything about their own intelligence department having information about Mojtaba's injury. After all, if Israel had solid evidence, it would be unlikely to remain so quiet.
An Iranian user says he knows where Mojtaba is being treated
On the other hand, it is indeed true that the Iranian state TV used the term "wounded warrior of the Ramadan War," but this term can also be interpreted in another way.
Some perspectives suggest that the term "wounded warrior" specifically refers to veterans who were injured or disabled during the Iran-Iraq War. During the Iran-Iraq War, Iran also launched a "Ramadan offensive," and Mojtaba may have been injured at that time.
Iranian media often uses such relatively ambiguous phrasing to shape the image of its leaders, using the old glory to enhance their authority and legitimacy. This is both a conventional propaganda method and a way to avoid revealing sensitive information about the health conditions of the leaders.
Currently, information about Mojtaba himself is very limited
In summary, the current rumors about whether Mojtaba was injured are still speculative. Information is naturally chaotic during wartime, and with all sides engaging in information warfare, the spread of rumors far exceeds the truth.
In the current situation where the authenticity of information is difficult to discern, maintaining a cautious attitude is particularly important. Was Mojtaba injured due to recent conflicts, or is the official using his historical war honors? This requires the Iranian authorities to provide more explicit information, or for independent channels to release photos or videos, so that the outside world can truly assess whether Mojtaba is safe or if he has indeed suffered an accident as the rumors suggest.
Until then, any assertions about whether the new Supreme Leader was injured are premature.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/7615928778568499766/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.