Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with the country's Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, on Sunday, dismissing recent rumours of being in a coma. A photo from the meeting was shared on Khamenei's official X account. The 85-year-old Khamenei’s post seemed to be an attempt to dismiss rumours that he was in a coma, which had been circulating following reports of his declining health.
Khamenei and Amani's meeting comes after multiple media outlets reported that Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has reportedly been named as his father's successor.
Claims began surfacing on social media on the heels of a report by the New York Times early in October which claimed that Ali Khamenei was "seriously ill."
Also Read: Meet Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's Potential Next Supreme Leader
The photo shows Khamenei speaking with Ambassador Mojtaba Amani in his office. The caption, written in Persian, states:
Khamenei's office confirmed in a Persian statement that he had met with the Ambassador Mojtaba Amani in his office. Notably, Amani was wounded in the Israeli pager attacks in Lebabon which occurred earlier this year and killed at least 39 people and left thousands injured.
"Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, met and talked with Mojtaba Amani, the veteran ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Lebanon, at noon today, on the sidelines of his daily meetings," read the caption.
ظهر امروز یکشنبه ۲۷ آبان ۱۴۰۳؛ دیدار و گفتوگو با آقای مجتبی امانی، سفیر جانباز جمهوری اسلامی ایران در لبنان pic.twitter.com/ctIRbi9bVA
— KHAMENEI.IR | فارسی 🇮🇷 (@Khamenei_fa) November 17, 2024
Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei?
Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been reportedly named as his father's successor. Born in Mashhad in 1969, Mojtaba Khamenei plays a commanding role in the Office of the Supreme Leader.
Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly chosen during a secret meeting of the Assembly of Experts on September 26. The decision was taken during a secretive meeting of the Assembly of Experts, according to Iran International, which was cited by Israeli media outlet Ynet News.
Mojtaba first caught public attention during the 2005 elections. Over time, he has enhanced his network of political figures which placed him as a power broker for his father. During elections, Mehdi Karroubi alleged that Khamenei had used these connections to influence the outcome in Ahmadinejad’s favor.