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'Hearing Mojtaba Khamenei not alive': Trump shares chilling claim on Iran Supreme Leader amid war
President Donald Trump spoke about speculations surrounding Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and sent across a message amid the ongoing war.
President Donald Trump provided an insight into Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's status. There have been claims that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son and successor was injured during US-Israel strikes. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed Mojtaba was ‘injured’ and ‘disfigured’. Iranian officials have reported that he was injured in the leg.
Trump was speaking to NBC News when he was asked about Iran's new Supreme Leader. The Republican president gave a crucial update “I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him."
While Trump called news of his death a ‘rumor’, the POTUS continued “I’m hearing he’s not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender.”
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Mojtaba was chosen as the Supreme Leader after joint US-Israeli airstrikes killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
What Hegseth said about Mojtaba Khamenei
Trump's remarks come after Hegseth already slammed Khamenei saying “Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father: dead; he’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run, and he lacks legitimacy.”
Mojtaba was supposed to deliver a statement but only written one was conveyed. Further a BBC Verify journalist noted that the photo on his new social media account was AI edited, all of which led to speculations about Mojtaba's whereabouts. Reports indicate he continues to be in Iran.
Donald Trump on Iran war
Meanwhile, Trump shared more of his thoughts on the Iran war. He said that while Iran was ready to make a deal, he was holding out as the terms were not good yet.
“Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” Trump told the publication. Speaking about the damage US troops had dealt to Iran's war infrastructure, the president commented “the only power they have, and it’s a power that can be closed off relatively quickly, is the power of dropping a mine or shooting a relatively short-range missile. But when we get finished with the shoreline, they’re not going to have that power either.”
He added “We’ve knocked out most of their missiles. We’ve knocked out most of their drones. We knocked out their manufacturing of missiles and drones, largely. Within two days, it’ll be totally decimated.”
Trump also claimed many countries were committed to helping the US secure the Strait of Hormuz but refused to name the nations.
