Is Mojtaba Khamenei dead? Why a new mural has sparked rumours of his demise

The absence of Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, from public view since at least February 28, when the United States-Israeli strikes killed his father, the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has stirred several speculations. Questions have arisen about his whereabouts, health and capability to rule the Islamic Republic.

Now, a new mural purportedly unveiled in an Iranian city has sparked fresh rumours about his condition. Some believe Iran’s new supreme leader is dead.

Here’s what is going on.

Is Mojtaba Khamenei dead?

A mural in Iran that apparently shows Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, alongside other top Iranian leaders, has triggered questions about the new supreme leader’s fate.

More from Explainers

Mojtaba Khamenei is Iran’s new Supreme Leader: Could Ayatollah Khamenei’s son usher in change?

Is the Iranian leadership really divided? What a ‘secret letter’ to Mojtaba Khamenei reveals

An account on X shared the video of the mural being unveiled, saying it was from Mashhad city in northeastern Iran.

Besides Mojtaba, the mural also features his late father, Ali Khamenei, as well as the Islamic Republic’s founder and first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

While Ali Khamenei is placed at the centre of the artwork, he is surrounded by four smaller portraits and several other smaller pictures are seen around these figures.

The new supreme leader’s portrait appears on the mural that is believed to honour figures "martyred" during the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

As per News18, the mural depicts images of senior military and political figures killed during the war in West Asia.

The X account that shared the video of the mural mentioned that the inclusion of Mojtaba’s face alongside “deceased leaders, including his father”, led to “confusion”.

What’s known about Mojtaba Khamenei’s health?

Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since the attack that killed his father in late February. No photo, video or audio recording was released even after he was declared Iran’s new supreme leader on March 8 following the assassination of his father.

Recent reports say he sustained severe facial and leg injuries in the joint US-Israeli airstrikes that killed Ali Khamenei on February 28.

Mojtaba's face was “disfigured” and he suffered “significant injury” to one or both legs during the attack on the supreme leader's compound in central Tehran, Reuters reported earlier this month, citing three people close to his inner circle.

They said that Iran’s new supreme leader was recovering and remains “mentally ​sharp”. He is reportedly attending meetings and involved in making decisions on important issues, including Iran's war with the US-Israel and negotiations ‌with Washington.

A woman walks past a billboard featuring an image of Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, on a building in Tehran, Iran, April 12, 2026. WANA via Reuters (File Photo)

Previously, a newsreader on Iranian state television described Mojtaba as a "janbaz", a term used for those badly wounded in war.

On March 13, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had said that Iran's new supreme leader was "wounded and likely disfigured".

A source familiar with American intelligence assessments told Reuters that Mojtaba was suspected to have lost a leg in the attack that killed his father.

Iran has made no official announcement about the extent of Mojtaba Khamenei's injuries.

Importance of murals in Iran

Murals and banners in Iran reflect the state's political messaging and foreign policy. They have long adorned the country's urban landscape, especially in Tehran.

Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, such imagery has been used to depict ideology and collective memory, reported AFP. 

These murals also sometimes trace the line of clerical leadership in Iran, beginning with Ruhollah Khomeini, followed by Ali Khamenei and then his successor and son, Mojtaba Khamenei.

As per News18, they often serve as a mode to honour those killed, but may also feature symbolic or living figures as part of state messaging. Sometimes, the aim is to project unity or resilience.

With inputs from agencies