Iran has explained why the new Supreme Leader has not appeared in public

Ali Bahreini, Iran's representative to the UN in Geneva, has officially denied rumors that the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is incapacitated, stating that he is "in good health." 

CNN reported this.

The diplomat explained that Khamenei continues to fully govern the country, and his absence from the public eye is due solely to security measures amid “special circumstances” and military conflict. All of the leader’s strategic decisions and orders are communicated through official written statements.

Mohtaba Khamenei took the helm of Iran on March 9, 2026, following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, in a U.S.-Israeli airstrike on February 28. Despite official assurances from Tehran, discussions continue in the global media and intelligence communities regarding the new leader’s actual state of health, as he was also wounded during the same attack. Donald Trump and representatives of U.S. intelligence agencies have previously expressed doubts about whether Khamenei Jr. is alive, as he has not appeared in any video or delivered a live audio address during his tenure. Tehran emphasizes that the lack of public appearances is a necessary measure to ensure the continuity of government during the war.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. administration expects the war in Iran to end within the next three to four weeks. 

As a reminder, Rubio arrived at the G7 summit in France to discuss the wars in Ukraine and Iran.