Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seriously ill: Reports
TEL AVIV: At a critical juncture as Iran prepares for military moves against Israel, reports suggest that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (85) is in serious condition. Some reports also claimed that Khamenei has passed away and that Iran's military has declared his second son, Sayyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei (55), as his successor.
According to reports, Khamenei is seriously ill. His security was beefed up recently due to fears of an assassination attempt by Israel. Following Israel's strike last Saturday, Khamenei had declared through his Hebrew account on X that Iran will show its strength to Israel.
Ali Khamenei became Iran's Supreme Leader in 1989, following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the country's first Supreme Leader after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Khamenei played a pivotal role in the revolution alongside Khomeini.
Ali Khamenei is the longest-serving head of state in West Asia, holding power for 35 years. He served as Iran's third president from 1981 to 1989 and later became the country's Supreme Leader. As Supreme Leader, Khamenei has been the most powerful political figure in Iran, with the final say in the country's affairs. He also serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, who was considered a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, died in a helicopter crash in May.
Mojtaba Khamenei
- Born on September 8, 1969
- Second son of Ali Khamenei
- Shia scholar and cleric
- Played a significant role in the Iran-Iraq War as a fighter
- Head of Basij armed group