Trump: I don’t think Mojtaba Khamenei is dead

🔸Donald Trump, the president of the United States, says he believes Mojtaba Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is «alive».

🔸Since Mojtaba Khamenei came to power following his father’s death in the month of Esfand last year in U.S. and Israeli attacks, he has not been seen in public. Since then, no voice of his has been released and no video has appeared to show whether he is alive or running the country.

🔸Mr. Trump, in an interview with Glenn Beck, a conservative radio host, said: «I don’t think he is dead. He was badly injured. On the left side of his body, his arm, his leg, everything. He was badly injured, but I don’t think he’s dead.»

🔸The U.S. president added: if he is dead, «the Iranians have covered it up very well; because during the negotiations, they keep saying they need to go in order to consult with him».

🔸Since Mojtaba Khamenei was selected as the new leader of the Islamic Republic, U.S. and Israeli officials and media outlets have provided different assessments of his status. In most of these reports, they refer to his being wounded in the attacks on the Ninth of Esfand.

🔸In a report in May, the New York Times wrote, quoting four Iranian officials: Mojtaba Khamenei, who was wounded on the day his father was killed, is still under treatment and is awaiting to receive a prosthesis for one of his legs and plastic surgery to repair severe injuries to his lips and face.

🔸Also, the U.S. secretary of state, in a question-and-answer session of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in June, said that Mojtaba Khamenei, after being wounded in the attacks of last Esfand, is alive and his activities are increasing.

🔸He said: «I think there are signs that suggest he is increasing the level of his participation and activity».