Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Survived Two Assassination Attempts Before Assuming Leadership, Cleric Claims

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei narrowly escaped death twice within a single week before assuming the country’s highest office, according to Mohsen Heydari, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts.

Tehran: 

In an interview with Qatar-based television network Al Araby this week, Heydari claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei was first injured during the February 28 attack on the residence of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The assault reportedly killed the 86-year-old leader along with several senior military and political officials, marking the beginning of the latest conflict.

Heydari said Mojtaba Khamenei was rushed to a hospital in Tehran following the attack. However, while he was receiving treatment, U.S. and Israeli forces allegedly carried out airstrikes on three hospitals in the Iranian capital. He claimed that Mojtaba was being treated at the third hospital and had to be pulled from the rubble after it was struck.

Following his rescue, Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly transferred to an undisclosed location, where he has remained out of public view. According to Heydari, no public appearances or statements have been made by him since the attacks.

Heydari also claimed that Mojtaba himself was unaware that he had been selected as Iran’s new Supreme Leader until his appointment was officially announced on state television on March 8. Under Iran’s legal and religious framework, he said, Mojtaba was obligated to accept the position once the decision was made.

The Assembly of Experts—the constitutional body responsible for selecting Iran’s Supreme Leader—was also reportedly targeted during the conflict. Heydari said an airstrike on the Assembly’s secretariat in Qom killed eight people and destroyed all documents and recommendations related to the leadership selection process.

As a result, members of the Assembly reportedly convened in a secret location about a week after the initial attacks. Without disclosing the venue or purpose of the meeting in advance, members were asked to cast confidential ballots for their preferred candidate.

Heydari said he was the first member to nominate Mojtaba Khamenei despite warnings from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had reportedly cautioned against appointing the late leader’s son, describing him as more hardline than his father.

“Considering the enemy’s threats and position, we decided that no one other than Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei should lead and guide the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Heydari said.

He added that the Assembly had received reliable information confirming Mojtaba’s recovery and his ability to lead the country, stating that he met all the required religious, legal, and administrative qualifications for the role.

According to Heydari, Mojtaba Khamenei secured 50 out of 59 votes in the confidential ballot. His rival, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, received eight votes, while one member abstained.

Before becoming Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei held no formal government or political office but served as one of his father’s closest advisers. In the interview, Heydari described him as the “man in the shadows.”

In recent months, speculation has persisted over Mojtaba Khamenei’s health and survival. U.S. intelligence assessments reportedly suggested he had suffered severe injuries that left him physically disfigured.

Speaking at a recent news conference, former U.S. President Donald Trump said he did not believe Mojtaba had died but acknowledged that he had been seriously wounded, claiming that the left side of his body, including his arm and leg, had sustained extensive injuries.

However, while attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed the speculation in an interview with Fox News, asserting that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “completely healthy.”