Mojtaba Khamenei breaks silence

In a highly anticipated and defiant first statement, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei addressed the nation on Thursday, March 12, 2026. The 56-year-old leader, who ascended to power following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, during the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, used the televised speech to signal a continuation of Iran's hardline military strategy. The message was not delivered by Khamenei himself but was read aloud by a state television news anchor. This has fueled ongoing speculation regarding his physical condition, following intelligence reports suggesting he may have been wounded in the opening salvos of Operation Epic Fury.