Iran’s Supreme Leader Makes First Public Appearance Since Outbreak of Conflict with Israel

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has appeared in public for the first time since hostilities began between Iran and Israel. State television released footage showing Khamenei attending a religious ceremony in Tehran.

Reports had previously indicated that Khamenei had remained at a secure location following the start of the conflict, which began twelve days ago and has involved a series of airstrikes. During this period, several senior Iranian officials and nuclear scientists lost their lives.

The video depicts Khamenei participating in a gathering to observe Ashura, a significant day of mourning in the Shia Muslim calendar. Since the outbreak of the conflict on 13 June, Khamenei had limited his appearances to pre-recorded video messages, reportedly due to security concerns, and had not attended public events until now.