‘Completely Healthy’: Pezeshkian Dismisses Reports On Mojtaba Khamenei’s Health

Pezeshkian Says Mojtaba Khamenei ‘Completely Healthy’, Rejects Reports Of Illness

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has rejected reports about Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s health, saying he is “completely healthy”, Iran’s ISNA news agency reported. Pezeshkian made the remarks after meeting Khamenei, describing their discussion as “very good”. He said the length of their meeting itself indicated that there were no health concerns.

“Someone who can sit and discuss for seven to eight hours cannot have any health problems,” Pezeshkian said.

Meeting Comes Amid Health Speculation

The meeting took place amid continued reports about Khamenei’s physical condition.

Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency on Sunday released an undated video showing Khamenei appearing to be in good health. The footage came after Israeli media reports claimed that he was in critical condition and had been admitted to hospital.

On Friday, Israeli outlets reported that Khamenei was in an “extremely critical condition”. Channel 14, citing sources in Iran, and The Jerusalem Post, citing IranWire and sources close to Pezeshkian’s administration, reported that concerns about his health were being discussed within Iran’s leadership.

• Pezeshkian’s remarks represent a direct dismissal of those reports.
• Iran Announces Key Security Appointments

The health-related clarification coincided with a major reshuffle in Iran’s political and national-security establishment.

Khamenei appointed former Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr as his political adviser. Veteran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohsen Rezaei was appointed to a senior position at the SNSC and is reported to have replaced Zolghadr as council secretary.

Khamenei announced both appointments in posts on X on Sunday, highlighting their experience.“In consideration of your valuable experience, I hereby appoint you to be my Political Advisor,” Khamenei said while appointing Zolghadr.

He also praised Zolghadr’s “round-the-clock efforts”.

In announcing Rezaei’s appointment, Khamenei pointed to his military background and his role as one of the early commanders during Iran’s eight-year war with Iraq.

Zolghadr’s New Role

Zolghadr had assumed the SNSC secretary’s post in March following the killing of Ali Larijani. He subsequently emerged as a prominent hardline figure within Iran’s security establishment.

The latest leadership changes come as scrutiny continues over Iran’s top leadership and its national-security apparatus.