New information on the condition of Mojtaba Khamenei: What three sources from the Iranian leader's entourage said

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is still recovering from serious face and leg injuries sustained in the airstrike that killed his father early in the war, three people close to his inner circle told Reuters.

Khamenei was disfigured in the attack on the Supreme Leader's compound in central Tehran, and also suffered serious injuries to one or both legs, all three sources said.

The 56-year-old Iranian leader is still recovering from his injuries and remains lucid, according to the people who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Mojtaba Khamenei is involved in decisions

Mojtaba Khamenei attends meetings with senior officials via audio conferencing and is involved in decision-making on major issues, including war and negotiations with Washington, two of the sources said.

The question of whether Khamenei's health allows him to run state affairs comes as Iran's peace talks with the United States are scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital.

Accounts from people close to Khamenei's inner circle provide the most detailed description of the leader's condition in recent weeks.

Khamenei's whereabouts, health and ability to rule remain largely a mystery to the public, with no photo, video or audio of him released since the airstrike and his subsequent appointment as his father's successor on March 8.

Iran's mission to the United Nations did not respond to Reuters questions about the severity of Khamenei's injuries or why he has not yet appeared in any pictures or recordings.

State TV said it was “janbaz”

Khamenei was wounded on February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli war, in the attack that killed his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had been in power since 1989. Mojtaba Khamenei's wife, brother-in-law and sister-in-law were among his other family members killed in the attack.

There has been no official statement from Iran regarding the severity of Khamenei's injuries.

However, a news anchor on state television described him as a “janbaz”, a term used for those seriously injured in war, after he was named supreme leader.

The new information on Khamenei's injuries is consistent with a statement made by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on March 13, when he said Khamenei was “wounded and likely disfigured”.

A source familiar with US intelligence assessments told Reuters that Khamenei was believed to have lost a leg.

Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said that regardless of the severity of his injuries, it was unlikely that the new, inexperienced leader would be able to wield absolute power as his father did.

While he is perceived as representing continuity, it could take years before he manages to build the same level of authority, Vatanka said.