Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader since early March 2026, is reportedly in critical condition and has been hospitalized, according to Israeli media. The claim, which Iranian officials have not confirmed, adds another layer of uncertainty to a regime already grappling with questions about its leadership stability following the violent death of his father, Ali Khamenei.
The reports align with earlier unverified claims from a diplomatic memo cited by The Times in April, which alleged Mojtaba was unconscious and receiving treatment for severe medical issues at a facility in Qom. Iranian authorities have consistently downplayed concerns about his health, but his near-total absence from public life tells a different story.
A leadership forged in crisis
Mojtaba Khamenei’s path to supreme leadership was anything but ordinary. His father, Ali Khamenei, who had ruled Iran for over three decades, died on February 28, 2026, during an airstrike believed to have involved US and Israeli forces. Within roughly a week, on or around March 8, Mojtaba was appointed as the new Supreme Leader.
Mojtaba himself was reportedly injured in the same February 28 attack that killed his father. Iranian Health Ministry officials have stated that his injuries required only minor treatment. Western analysts, however, have described severe facial and leg wounds sustained during the strike.
