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Monday, May 11, 2026
Netanyahu says he believes Mojtaba Khamenei is alive, wields less authority than predecessor
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleMichael Bachner is a news editor at The Times of Israel
A woman holds up a picture of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei during a state-organized rally, in Tehran, Iran, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he believes Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive, despite the fact that he has not been seen or heard since he was appointed to succeed his slain father in early March.
Asked for his opinion about the physical condition and operational influence of the younger Khamenei during an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Netanyahu says: “I think he is alive. What his condition is, it’s hard to say, you know? He’s holed up in some bunker or in some secret place.”
The premier says Mojtaba is “trying to exert his authority,” but assesses this authority to be lesser compared to that which had been wielded by predecessor Ali Khamenei.
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