Trump: Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but has sustained severe injuries

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he does not consider Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to be dead. According to him, he survived but sustained severe injuries during the military offensive against the country.

The comment was made in an interview with conservative political commentator Glenn Beck. "I don't think he's dead. He was very severely wounded," said Trump.

The U.S. President specified that, according to the information he has, Khamenei sustained serious injuries to the left side of his body. "The left side of his body – the arm, the leg, everything. He was very badly wounded, but I don't think he's dead," he stated.

Uncertainty surrounding his condition

Mojtaba Khamenei is the son and successor of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He took the position after the death of his father, who was killed on the first day of the war that began following Israeli-American strikes against Iran.

According to Iranian authorities, Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded during the offensive, in which other high-ranking representatives of the Iranian leadership also perished.

Since his appointment to lead the Islamic Republic, he has not appeared in public. His positions are distributed only through official statements, which keeps questions surrounding his health and his ability to exercise his functions ongoing.

Trump also allows for the possibility of deception

Trump stated that if Khamenei is indeed dead or is in no state to make decisions, Iranian authorities would be maintaining a convincing deception. "If he is dead, they are putting on a pretty good show, because they are constantly saying that they have to go back to talk to him and get his final approval," the U.S. President pointed out.

At the moment, there is no independent public confirmation of Mojtaba Khamenei's current condition.