- By Shubham Bajpai
- Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:03 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, the wife of slain former Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is alive and the reports of her death following injuries from the joint Israeli and United States strikes were incorrect, the Iranian state media said on Thursday.
The IRGC-affiliated Fars News claimed her to be alive, following speculations on why new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, did not mention his mother’s death in his first statement.
Earlier it was reported by several state media outlets that she was injured in the strikes and later succumbed while undergoing treatment.
The news about her death surfaced two days after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the strikes. Despite being one of the top most figures in Iran, Bagherzadeh has mostly lived her life as a private member.
Reports had also claimed that apart from her and Ali Khamenei, their daughter, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, and grandchildren were also killed in airstrikes on the first day of war.
Mojtaba Khamenei, in his first public address after becoming the Supreme Leader, defied Trump's threat saying that the Strait of Hormuz must remain close as it provides leverage to the country over the US and West Asia.
Issuing a stern warning to the countries in the Middle East, Khamenei vowed to continue attacking them. He added that Iran will avenge the killing of its leaders. He said, "I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging the blood of your martyrs".
"The popular demand is to continue our effective defence and make the enemy regret! The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used," he said.
Mojtaba has not appeared publically since the war started. Earlier, there were reports that he suffered minor injuried in the strikes. On Thursday, his first address was also read by an anchor on the Iranian state television.