Iranian Supreme Leader’s top advisor, Ali Shamkhani, has resurfaced in a dramatic televised interview after widespread reports of his death in the June 13 Israeli airstrike on Tehran. Speaking with visible injuries, a breathing aid, and a cane, Shamkhani recounted surviving for three hours under rubble after the Israeli missile struck his home.
“I thought it was an earthquake… but when I heard the vehicles, I knew it wasn’t,” he said. “I prayed Fajr [dawn prayer] while trapped under the debris.”
The mystery surrounding Shamkhani’s fate deepened over the past two weeks as both Israeli and Iranian sources claimed he had died. Iranian state media later admitted he was severely wounded but provided no evidence until now. His appearance at a funeral for war victims and this televised interview confirm he is alive, albeit in critical condition.
Images released by Iranian TV showed his destroyed home in ruins. Shamkhani hinted he knows why he was targeted but declined to confirm. The reappearance puts an end to days of speculation and raises new questions about the extent of Israeli intelligence and target precision during the 12-day war.
