U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has been wounded and may be disfigured, according to remarks made during a press briefing.
Hegseth referred to the Iranian leader as the “so-called… not so Supreme Leader,” stating that U.S. intelligence indicates he was injured during recent strikes linked to the ongoing conflict.
The comments come amid reports that Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since being appointed as Iran’s Supreme Leader, following the death of his father Ali Khamenei earlier in the war.
Iranian officials previously acknowledged that Khamenei was injured, though they stated that his condition is stable and have not confirmed the severity of the wounds.
The remarks highlight the intensifying rhetoric and information battle surrounding the conflict, as both sides release statements about the status of leadership and military operations.
