Iran's New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Travels to Moscow for Leg Surgery

Multiple sources report that Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was secretly flown to Moscow for emergency leg surgery following severe injuries sustained during recent US-Israeli strikes.

“It does not cost much, but worth your attention”

AzerNews

According to Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida, Khamenei was transported to Moscow on a Russian military aircraft under highly confidential circumstances, with the evacuation taking place on March 12 after Russian President Vladimir Putin personally offered medical assistance during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

AzerNews

The sources indicate that Khamenei underwent a "successful" surgery at a private medical facility located within one of Putin's presidential residences, with Russian doctors treating him alongside Iranian medical personnel.

The Financial Express confirms this account, noting that the operation was conducted as part of a "highly classified operation" due to Khamenei's health and security concerns.

Firstpost adds that the injuries sustained during the first day of the US-Israel bombing campaign required specialized hospital care that could not be guaranteed in Iran amid ongoing airstrikes, particularly after Israel announced plans to target the new supreme leader.

RBC-Ukraine corroborates the timeline, reporting that the evacuation occurred as a highly classified operation driven by a combination of health concerns and security risks amid ongoing bombings and airstrikes in Iran.

Reports indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei suffered serious injuries during the February 28 strikes that killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with multiple sources describing the severity of his condition.

The Sun cites sources claiming that the 56-year-old Khamenei "lost at least one leg and has also suffered serious stomach or liver damage," while WION reports that Iran's ambassador to Cyprus, Alireza Salarian, confirmed to The Guardian that Khamenei sustained injuries to his "legs and hand and arm" and is currently in the hospital.

Firstpost

According to The Financial Express, Israeli intelligence officials believe Khamenei was wounded in the opening strike of "Operation Roaring Lion," with two Israeli military officials telling The New York Times that he had suffered serious leg injuries.

The Sun further claims that Khamenei is being kept in intensive care at Sina University Hospital in Iran, though other sources contradict this location.

KOHA.net reports that Khamenei is recovering in a private medical facility within one of Putin's residences, while Kursiv Media Узбекистан notes that the injuries required specialized hospital care, close monitoring, and secure conditions that could not be guaranteed in Iran amid ongoing attacks.

The Financial Express also mentions that a CNN report claimed Khamenei had sustained minor injuries including a fractured foot, bruising around his left eye, and small cuts on his face, though this appears to contradict the more severe accounts from other sources.

Iranian authorities have consistently denied reports about Mojtaba Khamenei's injuries and evacuation, maintaining that the new Supreme Leader is safe and receiving treatment within Iran.

“Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly been flown to Moscow for leg surgery”

KOHA.net

The Financial Express notes that Iran has "pushed back vehemently against the claims" and insists that "there is no problem with the new supreme leader," while The Sunday Guardian reports that neither Iranian nor Russian officials have confirmed the evacuation reports.

AzerNews confirms that the report from Al-Jarida "has not been independently verified, and there has been no official confirmation from Iranian or Russian authorities regarding the alleged evacuation or medical treatment."

However, there are indications that Iranian state media may be attempting to cover up Khamenei's true condition.

WION reveals that when Mojtaba's first official "statement" as Supreme Leader was released, it was merely a written text read by a news anchor with zero audio or video, and digital investigators at BBC Verify discovered that the official profile picture of Mojtaba heavily promoted by state media is actually an old photo that was artificially manipulated using AI.

Kursiv Media Узбекистан further reports that a source close to Iran's reformist movement expressed doubt over a message reportedly issued by Mojtaba, suggesting it may have been written by the Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani.

The reported medical evacuation of Iran's Supreme Leader to Moscow carries significant geopolitical implications, potentially representing a major shift in the regional power dynamics.

WION describes the evacuation as "not just a medical evacuation; it is a massive geopolitical power play," noting that by physically harboring the incapacitated Iranian leader inside a Russian presidential compound, Putin has effectively placed Mojtaba under the Kremlin's nuclear umbrella.

News24

The Financial Express reports that the speculation over Khamenei's condition has caught global attention, with US President Donald Trump raising questions about the Supreme Leader's status during an interview with NBC News, saying "I don't know if he's alive."

RBC-Ukraine notes that on March 13, the United States announced a $10 million reward for information on Iran's new supreme leader and senior officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Swamp reports that US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth claimed Khamenei was "wounded and likely disfigured" in the recent military strikes, and WION quotes Trump as saying "I think he is damaged, but I think he's probably alive in some form."

The Financial Express also notes that the fog of war surrounding Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader exposes a "deeply vulnerable regime," with the US and Israel currently fighting a regional war against an "Axis of Resistance" whose brand-new Supreme Leader is completely unseen.

The situation surrounding Mojtaba Khamenei's health and whereabouts has created a significant "fog of war" that complicates both military and diplomatic calculations in the region.

“Rumors about Iran’s internal leadership crisis are escalating as new reports suggest that Mojtaba Khamenei, the recently appointed Supreme Leader of Iran, may have been secretly flown to Russia for urgent medical treatment”

News24

WION explains that treating a "highly valuable, immobilized target in an active war zone where Israeli intelligence (Mossad) has deep penetration is a massive security risk," while RBC-Ukraine reports that Iranian security services were particularly concerned about exposing his location through doctors and specialists involved in his treatment.

RBC-Ukraine

According to WION, the US government is actively "weaponizing Mojtaba's disappearance," with President Trump bluntly questioning the Supreme Leader's status and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth officially stating that US intelligence knows the leader is "wounded and likely disfigured."

The Financial Express notes that the absence of Iran's new Supreme Leader from public view creates significant uncertainty about the stability of Iran's leadership at a time of escalating regional conflict.

Firstpost reports that there have been "strings of reports that Khamenei, 56, who succeeded his father following his death on February 28, is in a coma," while The Sun suggests that he is "not directing the strategy currently sparking energy market turbulence."

RBC-Ukraine also notes that Tel Aviv lacks verified information about his departure from Iran, with some reports suggesting he was injured on the left side of his body "from head to foot, after debris fell near him" during strikes targeting a complex that includes the supreme leader's office.