After a U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, his second son, Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, 56, was elected the new supreme leader.
However, more than a week after being chosen as the new leader, Mojtaba has not appeared in public, fueling "speculation about his condition," and a media report said Mojtaba was severely injured, transferred to Russia, and underwent surgery.
On the 15th (local time), the Kuwaiti outlet Al-Jarida cited senior Iranian sources as saying, "For health and safety reasons, Mojtaba was secretly transferred to Moscow, Russia, where he underwent surgery," adding, "He has successfully completed the surgery and is recovering at a hospital inside the presidential residence in Moscow."
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the 12th and personally proposed this treatment, according to reports. Later that evening, Mojtaba was transported aboard a Russian military aircraft with medical staff.
With Israel continuing airstrikes targeting Iran's supreme leader, Iranian authorities are believed to have opted for transfer to Russia out of concern that domestic medical facilities could become targets.
Mojtaba was elevated to Iran's supreme leader on the 8th, succeeding his father, Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.-Israeli strike on the 28th of last month. But he still has not appeared officially; on the 12th, an anchor on Iran's state TV read out his first statement expressing resolve to fight on.
The Israeli military believes he injured his leg on the first day of the war. The United States also mentioned the possibility he was wounded. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a recent news conference, "It is possible the new supreme leader was injured."
Some have even raised rumors that Mojtaba is in a coma. The British outlet the Guardian reported that Mojtaba has fallen into a coma and is receiving secret treatment in a hospital.
Iran says there is no major problem with Mojtaba's condition. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a media interview the previous day, "There is nothing wrong with the new supreme leader," adding, "He issued a statement yesterday and is performing his duties under the constitution."