Donald Trump said on Friday he believes Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, is still alive “in some form,” despite not being seen publicly since assuming the role after the war in Iran began.
Trump’s remarks came hours after news outlets carried what were described as the new leader’s first public comments, in which he vowed to continue the fight, warning of more pain for Gulf Arab states and threatening to open “other fronts” in a war that has already disrupted global energy supplies, the world economy and international travel.
“I think he probably is. I think he is damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form, you know,” Fox News quoted Trump as saying in an interview on “The Brian Kilmeade Show,” scheduled to air Friday morning.
Trump urges ships to ‘show guts’
Addressing concerns over ships navigating the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Trump suggested vessels should continue their journeys despite the risks.
“They should go through the Strait of Hormuz and show some guts,” he said. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. They have no navy and we sunk all their ships.”
The conflict escalated after joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28, citing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The attacks killed then supreme leader Ali Khamenei and triggered an ongoing exchange of drones and missiles that has shaken the Gulf region.
Days after Ali Khamenei’s death, his son Mojtaba was named his successor. Mojtaba Khamenei is believed to be closely linked to Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and is widely seen as even less conciliatory than his father.
In a statement read by a state television anchor, Mojtaba Khamenei said he was maintaining a “file of revenge.”
Questions about his whereabouts and condition have persisted because he has not appeared on camera since reportedly taking power. According to an Iranian ambassador, Mojtaba was injured in the war that killed his father and wife.
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