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Trump issues brutal statement after reports Iran's new leader 'in coma' with 'lost leg' from war
Reports claim Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, is in a coma after suffering devastating injuries linked to the ongoing war in the region.
The 56-year-old, who is the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has not been seen publicly since taking over the role on Monday. His father and wife were both killed in an Israeli air strike on February 28 that triggered the conflict.
According to The Sun, the Iranian leader is currently in a coma after losing one or both of his legs and suffering severe stomach or liver damage. Despite the reports about his condition, he released his first written statement on Thursday since assuming leadership after his father’s death.
Reports claim new leader in intensive care
The outlet reported that Khamenei remains in intensive care at Sina University Hospital in Tehran’s historic quarter. A section of the hospital has reportedly been sealed off and surrounded by security.
It is unclear whether Khamenei was injured on the same day his father was killed, though reports suggest he is not directing the country’s strategy in the conflict.
Sources cited by the outlet described his condition as critical and said he is under the care of Mohammad Reza Zafargjani. Zafargjani serves as Iran’s Minister of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education and is also considered one of the country’s top trauma surgeons and a trusted physician within the regime.
A source for The Sun said in a message: “One or two of his legs have been cut off. His liver or stomach has also ruptured. He is apparently in a coma as well.”
Khamenei issues message to regional leaders
Even as questions surround his health, Khamenei released a written statement addressing tensions in the region.
"We send a message to the leaders of the region and emphasise that we are going to have good relations with the countries around us," the statement says, per The Mirror.
It adds: "But the existence of the US bases in some of these countries and usage of those bases to attack Iran is not benefiting the region, and they must be closed.
"As we said, we are not an enemy of the countries around us, and we are only targeting the bases of those Americans."
Trump posts explosive response online
The conflict has already caused major disruption across the region. Many foreign nationals have left the Persian Gulf area since the war began, including more than 45,000 UK citizens, according to the UK Foreign Office.
About 40,000 people have returned to the United States, the American State Department said. Nearly 500 people have been killed in Lebanon, while Iran says more than 1,300 people have died there. Israel has reported 12 deaths. The US has lost seven soldiers, and another eight have suffered severe injuries.
At sea, Iraq rescued more than 20 crew members from foreign oil tankers attacked overnight in the Strait of Hormuz. Two ships were struck near the port of Umm Qasr, killing one person and injuring 38 others. The vessels caught fire and were still burning after the attack, according to Farhan al-Fartousi, Iraq's director general of the General Company for Ports.
Following the strikes, the country’s oil ports have reportedly completely stopped operations, though commercial ports remain open.
As the crisis escalates, President Donald Trump posted a fierce message on Truth Social on Friday.
He wrote: “We are totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran, militarily, economically, and otherwise, yet, if you read the Failing New York Times, you would incorrectly think that we are not winning.
"Iran’s Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth. We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time - Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today.
"They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on a Gulf Cooperation Council resolution condemning Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. The measure calls for an immediate end to strikes and threats against neighbouring states, including through proxy groups.