Trump says he believes Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei still alive
U.S. President Donald Trump stated he believes Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive despite his prolonged public absence following an injury. Trump also claimed that U.S. military and economic pressure on Iran is nearing a successful conclusion.
Why it matters
The status of Iran's leadership and the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions are pivotal to ongoing geopolitical stability in the Middle East.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday (August 26, 2026) said he believes Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since taking over after his father's killing in February, remains alive.
"I don't think he's dead. He was very seriously wounded. The left side of his body, the arm, the leg, the whole thing. He was very seriously wounded. But I don't think he's dead," Mr. Trump said in an interview with conservative radio host Glenn Beck.
Officially, Mr. Khamenei continues to lead his country under U.S. and Israeli attack. However, his public absence and the rise to power of veteran Revolutionary Guards figures has fuelled speculation that he is either dead or not fully in command.
His father was killed in bombing at the start of the U.S.-Israeli assault.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in