Mojtaba Khamenei’s Iraq message surfaces after Trump claims he is 'dead'

A message attributed to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has surfaced thanking Iraq, even as his prolonged absence continues to raise questions following claims by Donald Trump that he may be dead or critically injured.

According to Iranian state media, Khamenei expressed gratitude to the Iraqi people and religious leadership for supporting Tehran “in the face of aggression.” The message, reported on Sunday, is the latest communication attributed to him, but offers no clarity on his condition or whereabouts.

The development comes days after Trump said Iran’s top leadership had been eliminated in recent US operations and suggested Khamenei may no longer be alive.

“Their leaders are dead. Their supreme leader is no longer supreme. He’s dead. His son is either dead or in very bad shape, because nobody’s heard from him. I think he says, ‘Just keep me out of this,’” the US President said earlier.

Despite the claims, Tehran has not released any visual confirmation of Khamenei’s condition. The message to Iraq also did not indicate how it was delivered.

Khamenei, who took over as supreme leader on March 9 after the death of his father Ali Khamenei in a US-Israeli strike, has not made a single public appearance since assuming office.

All statements attributed to him so far, including his first address on March 12 and a Nowruz message on March 20, have been issued in written form and read out by state television presenters.

His continued absence has intensified speculation over who is directing decision-making in Tehran as tensions escalate in West Asia. The issue has also figured in US intelligence assessments, with officials examining the current chain of command in Iran.

The uncertainty has deepened amid a series of Israeli strikes that have eliminated several senior Iranian officials, raising questions over whether Khamenei is in hiding, seriously injured, or deliberately staying out of public view for security reasons.