Mojtaba Khamenei survived deadly strike by seconds, leaked audio reveals he stepped into garden

Iran’s new supreme leader survived US‑Israeli strike by minutes after stepping outside, report says

Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, narrowly survived a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28 that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with his wife, son, and brother-in-law, according to a leaked audio obtained by The Telegraph. Mojtaba had stepped outside for a walk in his garden moments before the missiles struck the compound.

Mazaher Hosseini, head of protocol for Ali Khamenei’s office, told senior clerics and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders that Mojtaba suffered a minor leg injury, while his wife was “martyred instantly.” The strike also killed Mohammad Shirazi, Iran’s military chief, whose body was found in fragments, and decapitated Mojtaba’s brother-in-law Misbah al-Huda Bagheri Kani.

“God’s will was that Mojtaba had to go out to the yard to do something and then return. He was outside and was heading upstairs when they struck the building with a missile. His wife, Ms Haddad, was martyred instantly,” Hosseini said in the recording.

The leaked audio revealed that at least three missiles targeted the compound, striking Mojtaba’s home, his brother-in-law’s residence, and other locations where senior Iranian officials were stationed. Mojtaba’s eldest son, Mostafa Khamenei, reportedly survived with his wife unharmed.

Since the start of the US-Israel conflict in Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public. His only message, broadcast on Iranian state television, vowed revenge for the “blood of martyrs,” fueling speculation about the extent of his injuries.

US President Donald Trump commented on Monday, saying, “A lot of people are saying that he’s badly disfigured. They’re saying that he lost his leg, one leg, and he’s been hurt very badly. Other people are saying he’s dead.” He added, “We haven’t seen him at all. It is unusual … if he’s dead or not, we don’t know.”

The February 28 strike, described as a coordinated US-Israeli operation, aimed to eliminate key figures within the Iranian leadership, including multiple members of the Khamenei family and senior military officials.