President Trump stated on Wednesday that he does not believe the supreme leader of Iran is dead despite recent speculation regarding his health, The Hill reported. The comments follow a report that surfaced on Tuesday suggesting that Mojtaba Khamenei could be deceased or brain-dead.
“He was very seriously wounded, but I don’t think he’s dead,” Trump said in an interview with Glenn Beck. The president went on to clarify his skepticism regarding the situation in Tehran. “And if he is, they’re putting on a pretty good show because they talk about going back to talk to him all the time to get a final blessing on things,” he added.
Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen as the new leader after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed during Operation Epic Fury in February. Since that time, the younger Khamenei has not appeared in public or in any photographs. Reports indicate he sustained severe injuries during the same strikes that resulted in his father’s death. Trump provided specific details on the condition of the leader during his conversation with Beck. “He was very seriously wounded,” Trump said. “The left side of his body, the arm, the leg, the whole thing.”
The situation surrounding the leadership in Iran remains murky.
It is clear that the president views the current diplomatic landscape with significant caution. He noted that the Iranians are “not the most honorable group” to manage as he works to conclude a war that has now lasted for nearly six months. Direct negotiations between the United States and Iran are currently at a standstill. While Iran and Oman are engaged in discussions regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran continues to demand that the United States lift its naval blockade on the waterway.
Trump offered a different perspective on the status of that critical maritime route. He told Beck that the strait is “functioning” at this time. “We take a lot of ships through the strait now. We’re taking them in,” he said. “The mines are gone.”
Although he acknowledged that a rocket or drone is fired “every once in a while,” he maintained his position that the passage remains very functional. Shipping trackers have indeed observed a recent increase in oil moving out of the waterway, though current traffic levels are still well below what they were before the war began.
Because Mojtaba Khamenei has remained out of sight since the events in February, rumors about his status continue to circulate among various sources in Tehran. Some believe he is still alive, while others speculate that he has succumbed to his injuries or is brain-dead.
Published: Aug 26, 2026 01:30 pm