Fact-check: Was Mojtaba Khamenei's pic AI-edited? Is Iran hiding supreme leader's health condition?

In today's age where AI can even generate images, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between reality and digital fabrication, even in the most sensitive political contexts.

Questions have been raised over the authenticity of newly circulated images of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, after a BBC Verify journalist indicated that photos released by Iranian media appear to have been manipulated using artificial intelligence.

Shayan Sardarizadeh, a senior journalist with BBC Verify who specialises in disinformation and online verification, said the widely shared photograph of the new Iranian leader showed signs of AI editing.

“This image of Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, which has been widely published by Iranian media today and now appears on his new X account, appears to have been manipulated with AI,” Sardarizadeh wrote in a post on X.

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Analysis of the picture suggests it was altered using AI tools rather than being a recently captured photograph.

“Google’s SynthID identifies watermarks in it that indicate it has been edited using Google AI,” Sardarizadeh added.

He further noted that the image seems to be derived from an older photograph rather than a recent one of Khamenei.

“A cropped reverse image search appears to find the original version of the photo published several years ago,” he wrote. "It shows Mojtaba at a pro-government rally. The background and surrounding figures seem to have been edited out using AI," added the expert.

The image has gone viral on social media

The image has been widely circulated by Iranian state media and now features on Khamenei’s newly created X account. Metadata linked to the account reportedly indicates it is based in the Netherlands.

The emergence of the altered image has intensified speculation over the condition of Iran’s new leader, who has not appeared in public since being appointed earlier this week following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Reports suggest that Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded during the strike that killed his father on 28 February. Since then, no verified recent photographs or public appearances have been released.

Some reports, including claims cited by The Sun, allege that the new leader may be in a coma and receiving intensive care at Sina University Hospital in Tehran. “One or two of his legs have been amputated. His liver or stomach has also ruptured. He is apparently in a coma as well,” the publication cited a source as saying.

Iranian officials, however, have dismissed speculation about the leader’s condition. Yousef Pezeshkian, the son of President Masoud Pezeshkian and a government adviser, stated that Mojtaba Khamenei was “safe and sound” despite reports that he had been injured during the strikes that killed his father.

“I heard news that Mr Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I asked some friends who had connections, and they told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound,” Pezeshkian wrote in a post on Telegram, according to AFP.

Other Iranian sources have disputed those claims, stating that Khamenei sustained relatively minor injuries, including a fractured foot, bruising around the eye, and facial cuts during the initial wave of airstrikes.

Analysts suggest that the lack of public appearances may be deliberate, as Iran seeks to project stability during the ongoing conflict.

Is Iran hiding the supreme leader's health condition?

Questions over the authenticity of the image have fed into a broader debate about Mojtaba Khamenei’s condition and public absence.

Despite Iranian state media and officials insisting that he was only lightly injured and remains “safe and sound,” he has not made a confirmed public appearance since being appointed following his father’s death.

Analysts and external reporting suggest he may have been wounded in the airstrikes that killed his predecessor, with some Western media and anonymous sources claiming he could be seriously injured or even incapacitated, though these claims cannot be independently verified.

The lack of recent verified photographs or live appearances, coupled with the circulation of an apparently AI‑edited image, has intensified speculation that Tehran is intent on controlling both his image and the narrative around his health while maintaining an appearance of unity and stability amid conflict.

Amid speculation, he gave his first 'televised' address

In his first message, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, called for national unity and urged citizens to take part in Quds Day, according to Iranian state media on Thursday. He further instructed that all US military bases in the region should be immediately closed.

In the televised statement, Mojtaba Khamenei emphasised that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed as a measure to pressure Iran’s adversaries. He also declared that Tehran would seek reparation from its enemies and vowed to avenge the deaths of Iranian citizens in the conflict.

“I would like to thank the brave fighters who are performing admirably at a time when our country is under attack and facing significant pressure,” he added.

It is important to note that the message was read out on state television rather than delivered in person. Analysts noted that the format, a written statement read by a presenter, and his absence from public view have fueled speculation about his health and leadership role.