Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has “lost at least one leg and is in a coma”, reports say.
A source told The Sun that the 56-year-old had also suffered serious stomach or liver damage.
It however remains unclear whether he was injured on the same day his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died, on February 28.
He succeeded his father five days ago and has however not been seen in public since then.
In his message, the source claimed: “One or two of his legs have been cut off. His liver or stomach has also ruptured. He is apparently in a coma as well.”
He is currently not beleived to be directing the strategy currently fuelling turmoil in energy markets. The source, said to be in the Iranian capital Tehran, provided details about the new leader’s condition, treatment, location and security arrangements.
Mojtaba is reported to be under intensive care at Sina University Hospital in the city’s historic quarter after part of the building was sealed off by security forces.
Fearing for his life, the source — who requested anonymity —is said to have evaded Iran’s near-total internet shutdown to pass messages to an exiled dissident based in London.
Although he has no medical training, the source said members of the hospital’s trauma team told him Mojtaba was in a “very serious” condition and under the care of Mohammad Reza Zafargjani.
Zafargjani serves as Iran’s Minister of Health and Medical Education and is also a senior vascular and trauma surgeon.
These detailed allegations cannot be independently verified due to Iran’s ongoing internet blackout.
However, Mojtaba’s status as one of the country’s war wounded has already been confirmed.
Iranian state television has also referred to the late ayatollah’s silent successor as “Jaanbaz of Ramadan” – meaning a wounded war veteran.
An Israeli government source also told The Sun: “It is absolutely irrefutable that Mojtaba Khamenei has been wounded. “But his condition has little bearing on the course of the war, as he is a figurehead put in place by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. They now hold the power and are effectively running Iran.”
Health Minister and senior trauma surgeon Mohammad Reza Zafargjani is reported to be among those involved in his treatment, assisted by Dr Mohammad Marashi, a senior surgeon at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
Marashi, the brother-in-law of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and is believed to be another trusted figure close to the regime’s hardline leadership.
Iranian ʻPresident Masoud Pezeshkian was also reportedly seen visiting Sina Hospital two days ago alongside Dr Zafargjani.This led to speculation that Pezeshkian had been secretly visiting Mojtaba and was being kept fully informed about his condition.
Other sources alleged that Mojtada is entirely unaware of the ongoing war, as well as the deaths of family members including his wife and son – and even his own election as Supreme Leader.
Mojtaba lost his wife, Zahra, eight-year-old son Bagher as well as his mother and sister in the blast which killed his 86-year-old father.
The new supreme leader has, not only not given a public speech since his election, but has also stayed quiet amid rumours he is already dead.
Iranians officials have alluded to this being for security reasons.
