- By Chetna Shree
- Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:16 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
US-Iran War: Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on Wednesday said that the Islamic Republic will continue to support resistance against Israel and the United States following the path of the first supreme leader, Imam Khomeini and his father, Ali Khamenei.
"I emphatically declare that the consistent policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, following on the path of Imam Khomeini and the martyred Leader, is to continue supporting the Resistance against the Zionist-US enemy", Khamenei wrote on X.
In a message to Hezbollah's Sheikh Naim Qassem, Iran's Supreme Leader appreciated the 'emotion, love and loyalty' shown by Hezbollah's fighters.
"Given what I know of you, I'm hopeful that you'll thwart the Zionist enemy's plots & once again bring the taste of honour to the dear people of Lebanon," Khamenei added.
Mojtaba Khamenei's Absence From Public Eye Fuels Speculation About His Health
Since the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran began on February 28, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public, with the US and Israeli officials believing that he may have been wounded and remains in hiding.
While several of his statements have been released and read on national television, his prolonged absence from the public eye has sparked widespread rumours about his health and location.
'Where Is Mojtaba Khamenei?': Russian Envoy Reveals
Putting speculation to rest, Russian Ambassador to Iran Alexey Dedov told the RTVI news outlet that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in the country but has been avoiding public appearances "for understandable reasons."
Addressing the reporters, the ambassador asserted Mojtaba "is refraining from making public appearances for understandable reasons."
For nearly four decades, the 56-year-old cleric operated mostly behind the scenes during his father Ali Khamenei’s tenure, exercising influence while rarely appearing in public. Now, elevated to the highest office in Iran, he continues to be absent from the public eye, highlighting the evolving nature of power in the Islamic Republic, where institutions and security forces matter more than the individual at the top, according to a CNN report.