Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Fox News that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is "completely" healthy and continues to guide the government despite not being seen publicly since March. Pezeshkian said he met Khamenei about a month to six weeks ago for a roughly seven-hour meeting and insisted that consultations and directives still come from the leader. The remarks follow media reports and rumors about Khamenei’s condition, and a comment from former President Donald Trump that Khamenei was "very seriously wounded" but probably not dead. Pezeshkian declined to directly answer who is effectively running Iran, instead focusing on policy matters.
Pezeshkian Insists Iran’s New Supreme Leader Is “Completely” Healthy and Still Directing Government
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (Getty)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Fox News on Thursday that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei — who has not been seen publicly since assuming power in March after his father was killed in a Feb. 28 strike — is "completely" healthy and continues to direct the government.
In an interview with Fox anchor Bret Baier, Pezeshkian said he last met Khamenei in person "about a month, a month and a half ago," in a meeting that lasted roughly seven hours. He emphasized that the supreme leader remains "very much so, completely" capable of governing and that consultations and directives continue to come from Khamenei.
Pezeshkian noted that Khamenei — who succeeded his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — was not present at his father's funeral in July. When pressed by Baier on why no photographs or video of Khamenei have surfaced since the transfer of power, Pezeshkian attributed the lack of visual evidence to a "lack of security," blaming unnamed aggressors for the restrictions.
Speculation about Khamenei's condition grew after a recent Atlantic report that Tehran was "abuzz" with rumors about his fate. In a separate interview with conservative commentator Glenn Beck, former President Donald Trump said he believed Khamenei had been "very seriously wounded" but doubted he was dead.
When Baier asked who is effectively running Iran, Pezeshkian avoided a direct answer and redirected to Iran’s positions on the collapsed U.S.-Iran peace deal and the country's nuclear program. The president's statements are likely intended to reassure both domestic and international audiences about continuity of authority in Tehran.
Context: The lack of public appearances by the new supreme leader has prompted intense speculation and concern inside and outside Iran. Official statements like Pezeshkian’s aim to counter rumors, but unanswered questions about transparency and succession remain.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
Help us improve.
