Kremlin silent on Mojtaba Khamenei being flown to Russia for operation

JAKARTA - The Kremlin refused to comment on reports that Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was secretly flown to Russia for a life-saving operation. At the same time, reports about Russia's alleged tactical assistance to Iran in the war against the United States and Israel have resurfaced.

In a report by the Mirror, which was quoted on Monday, March 16, Russian President Dmitry Peskov's spokesman neither confirmed nor denied the news. "We do not comment on such reports," said Peskov.

Mirror wrote, Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was reported to have suffered critical injuries in the Israeli attack on February 28 which killed six members of his family, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian sources are said to have confirmed that he was injured. According to Mirror quoting The Guardian, Tehran's Ambassador to Cyprus, said Mojtaba suffered injuries to his legs, hands, and arms, and was likely to be treated in hospital.

Reports that Mojtaba was taken to Moscow first emerged from Kuwait citing Iranian sources. The newspaper Al-Jarida, quoted by the Mirror, wrote that a senior aide said Mojtaba was flown on a Russian military plane in a highly secret operation for health and security reasons. The claim has not been independently verified.

Israel later said it knew of Mojtaba's whereabouts, after US President Donald Trump said he did not know if the new Iranian leader was still alive. Trump even said that if Mojtaba was still alive, he should surrender.

In addition to Mojtaba, Mirror also highlighted Russia's alleged involvement in helping Iran. Lieutenant General Nick Perry said Iran's drone tactics were changing and showed patterns learned from Russia, including flying lower to be more effective. British Defense Secretary John Healey even said there was a "hidden hand" of Putin behind some of Iran's tactics.

Healey assessed that the situation was also beneficial to Putin because the spike in oil prices could help Russia obtain new funds to finance the war in Ukraine.