Ayatollah Ali Khamenei makes first public appearance since onset of Israel-Iran war

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has made his first public appearance since the onset of his country’s conflict with Israel, as reported by state media. This notable emergence on Saturday, July 5, marks a return to public visibility for the 86-year-old leader, whose absence had been observed amid increasing regional tensions.

The 86-year-old leader had remained out of public view during the height of the conflict. His appearance, broadcast by state television, showed him waving and nodding to a crowd of mourners as he entered a mosque adjacent to his residence and office in the capital.

State television footage showed Khamenei greeting worshippers at the Imam Khomeini Mosque in central Tehran during a ceremony held on the eve of Ashura, a deeply significant Shia festival. Khamenei was shown on stage, dressed in black, while the crowd, with raised fists, chanted slogans such as “The blood in our veins for our leader!”

Having been in power since 1989 and possessing the final say on all state matters, Khamenei had not been seen in public since before Israel launched a series of unexpected air strikes on June 13.

His last recorded public engagement before the conflict was a meeting with parliament members two days prior to the Israeli strikes. Although he had released a pre-recorded video statement last week, in which he claimed Tehran had delivered a “slap to America’s face” by striking a US airbase in Qatar and warned against further attacks, this was his first live public appearance since the 12-day conflict began.

The timing of his reappearance is particularly symbolic, coinciding with the solemn observances of Muharram and the eve of Ashura. Ashura, observed on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram (falling on Sunday, July 6), commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a revered figure in Shia Islam.

This period is characterised by deep mourning, religious ceremonies, and public processions, making it a crucial time for religious and political messaging in Iran.

(With inputs from AP)