Overview
- Israeli media and IranWire sources reported on Friday that Mojtaba Khamenei had been rushed to hospital and that senior Iranian officials were circulating rumours he was in extremely critical condition.
- Tehran pushed back by publishing a brief undated video via the semi‑official Mehr News Agency that shows Khamenei appearing well, but the clip's date and context have not been verified.
- President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged that direct communication with the supreme leader is “very difficult,” which has fuelled questions about who has routine access to Iran's top authority.
- Reports about a secret, obscured meeting between Pezeshkian and a man presented as Khamenei conflict with state accounts and underline the verification problems on the leader's whereabouts and voice.
- The uncertainty matters for Iran's decision making because the supreme leader controls the armed forces and foreign policy, so any real incapacity could shift power toward institutions such as the IRGC and affect regional negotiations and security.