Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was seriously injured in an airstrike that killed his father, left him in a coma and lost at least one leg, The Sun reported. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also backed this claim, saying in a press briefing that Mojtaba may have also been compromised.
A British tabloid reported that the 56-year-old son of assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei suffered serious injuries and was currently receiving treatment in Tehran. Sources cited by The Sun claimed the new leader had “lost at least one leg and suffered serious stomach or liver damage.”
The report added that while it was unclear whether Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in the February 28 airstrike that killed his 86-year-old father, he was not currently directing Iran’s war strategy, which has been blamed for the global energy market turmoil.
According to The Sun, Khamenei is being treated under tight security at Tehran’s Sina University Hospital. The report cited a source in the Iranian capital as saying the leader’s condition was “very critical.”
A source told The Sun: “One or two of his legs were cut off and his liver and stomach were ruptured. He also appears to be in a coma.”
The source claimed that the hospital unit treating the leader has been sealed off and doctors are continuing intensive care treatment.
The report said the treatment was being overseen by Mohammad Reza Jafargandhi, Iran’s health minister and a senior surgeon and veteran trauma surgeon with experience treating war injuries.
According to The Sun, Iranian state television attempted to maintain the appearance of leadership by broadcasting Khamenei’s first statement since seizing power.
The statement, read by a news anchor rather than the leader himself, warned that Iran would avenge the blood of Iranians and continue targeting regional shipping routes, including threats to block the Strait of Hormuz.
The report also claimed that Iran’s leadership structure may be continuing the war without direct orders from Khamenei.
An Iran analyst quoted by The Sun said the country’s military operations could proceed without an active leader.
“His father left behind a system for ghosts to run,” the analyst said. “This is why Iranian missiles and drones are still flying and why the war continues.”
The Sun said it could not independently verify the claims due to internet restrictions inside Iran and tight security surrounding the leader’s reported treatment.
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