Supreme Leader Khamenei of Iran Emerges in Public for First Time Amidst Israel War

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public appearance in 12 days at a mourning ceremony held on the eve of Ashura, a significant Shia Muslim holy day. This event took place at a mosque in Tehran where Khamenei greeted the gathered crowd. Since the conflict between Israel and Iran began on June 13, Khamenei has kept away from public view, with all his speeches being prerecorded. He dismissed calls for Iran’s surrender from U.S. President Donald Trump, claiming that Iran had ‘struck a blow’ to America by hitting a US base in Qatar. The two-week conflict resulted in the deaths of over 900 individuals and led to Iran restricting access for IAEA inspectors after passing a law to suspend cooperation with the agency. Despite speculation, Iran’s Foreign Minister affirmed the country’s commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/6/irans-supreme-leader-makes-first-public-appearance-since-war-with-israel?traffic_source=rss