Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: The whereabouts and physical condition have become the subject of intense international debate. After a barrage of catastrophic U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Saturday, February 28, 2026, targeting his downtown Tehran compound, conflicting reports have kept his status from being verified, both inside and outside Iran.
The FM’s Cryptic Response
In an exclusive interview with NBC News, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tried to clear rumors up about the Leader’s death, but questions rather than answers arose in part from his wording. Asked exactly whether Khamenei survived the strikes, Araghchi replied:
“The Supreme Leader is still alive as far as I know.”
Critics and intelligence analysts rushed to point out that the clause “as far as I know” is uncharacteristic for a regime that usually conveys full confidence in its leaders. Araghchi also noted that although "one or two commanders" are gone, the system is intact and stable.
Satellite Proof of Destruction
Extensive satellite images sourced from independent analysts indicate serious structural destruction to the central Tehran walled compound that serves as Khamenei’s head office and home. At least seven missiles were reported to have hit the immediate vicinity of the Supreme Leader’s quarters.
Though Israeli media, including Channel 12, cited intelligence assessments indicating that the Leader was “likely killed,” a government source told Reuters that Khamenei had been relocated to a “secure location” outside of the capital hours before the first wave of strikes.
The Missing Public Address
As of midnight on March 1, the address still has not been delivered. Instead, the Supreme Leader’s representative in India, Dr. Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, made a statement proclaiming the Leader is “in good health” and has “no fear of America.” With the Assembly of Experts the body charged with selecting a successor said to be on high alert, the next 24 hours may be decisive for whether or not the Islamic Republic faces its first leadership transition since 1989.
