Iran says new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei injured but 'well'

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is injured but "well," the country told international media Friday, providing the first official update on the condition of Ali Khamenei's successor since his appointment earlier this week. In an interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera published Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei addressed the ongoing regional escalation and condemned the US-Israeli attacks on Iran that have killed around 1,300 people according to Iranian authorities.

Regional posture

Iran harbors no hostility toward neighboring countries, Baqaei said, while claiming that the US military presence in the region creates "mistrust." Noting that Tehran is in close contact with neighboring countries, the spokesman also addressed European concerns over rising oil prices, which have surged past $100 per barrel due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and disruption of energy shipments.

Mediation call

The Iranian diplomat called on European countries to "stand against this injustice," saying that Tehran would welcome them acting as a mediator. His appeal comes as diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict have so far failed, with the US and Israel continuing joint attacks on Iranian targets and Tehran maintaining retaliatory strikes against Israel and Gulf states hosting US assets.

Conflict context

Regional escalation has intensified since Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people and injuring more than 10,000 others, according to Iranian authorities. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, with approximately 3,200 projectiles launched and widespread damage reported on both sides.

New leadership

Mojtaba Khamenei was declared earlier this week as the successor to his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the initial US-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28. The 57-year-old new leader inherits an Iran exhausted by war and facing multiple challenges, including securing a ceasefire and managing relations with neighbors.