Reportedly Critical, Mojtaba Khamenei Appears in Rare Video

Mojtaba Khamenei. (Wikimedia Commons/khamenei.ir)

JAKARTA - Iran released a rare video of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei after reports emerged that his health condition was critical. However, the time and location of the shooting were not revealed.

Anadolu Agency, quoted on Sunday, August 9, reported that a video broadcast by the semi-official Mehr news agency showed Mojtaba surrounded by a number of people and seemed to be talking to them.

Mehr did not say when and where the video was recorded. The identities of the people accompanying Mojtaba were also not explained.

The news agency reported on Sunday that Mojtaba met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is entering the third year of his term.

The meeting discussed a number of challenges facing Iran, including the people's need for life, military conflicts with the United States, and economic interactions with foreign partners.

Mojtaba was elected as Iran's Supreme Leader in early March after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28.

Since being elected as the supreme leader, Mojtaba has never been seen in public.

Iran and the US agreed to a ceasefire in April. The two sides then signed a memorandum of understanding in June aimed at ending the military conflict and reaching a long-term peace agreement.

However, the deal collapsed last month.

Tehran and Washington resumed mutual attacks for almost two weeks before US President Donald Trump suddenly stopped the bombing amid reports of talks to resolve the conflict.