Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is "safe and sound" despite reports of an injury during the war with Israel and the United States, said the son of the Iranian president on Wednesday.
"I heard news that Mr Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I have asked some friends who had connections. They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound," said Yousef Pezeshkian, who is also a government adviser, in a post on his Telegram channel.
State television had called Khamenei a "wounded veteran of the Ramadan war" but never specified his injury.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said he doubts Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei can coexist peacefully with the United States, intensifying his criticism of Tehran’s leadership during the ongoing conflict.
“I don’t believe he can live in peace,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News that aired, adding he was “not happy” with Iran’s decision.
Trump has previously called Khamenei’s appointment “a big mistake,” warning the new leader “would not last long” without US approval.
The new supreme leader is the son and successor of the Iran's longtime ruler Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 which triggered a war across the Middle East.
The 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei, a discreet figure who has rarely appeared in public or spoken at official events, has yet to address the nation or issue a written statement since he was declared supreme leader on Sunday.
In a Wednesday report, the New York Times, quoting three unnamed Iranian officials, said that Khamenei "had suffered injuries, including to his legs, but that he was alert and sheltering at a highly secure location with limited communication".
