 "(File) Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reuters")
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public appearance on Saturday, 5 July, since the conflict between Iran and Israel began, according to state media. The 86-year-old leader had been out of public view during weeks of growing regional tensions.
State TV showed Khamenei greeting worshippers at the Imam Khomeini Mosque in central Tehran during a ceremony marking the eve of Ashura, an important Shia Muslim observance.
He appeared on stage dressed in black, while the crowd raised their fists and chanted slogans like “The blood in our veins for our leader!”
Khamenei, who has held power since 1989 and has the final say on all state matters, had not been seen publicly since before Israel launched surprise air strikes on 13 June. His last public engagement was a meeting with members of parliament two days before the Israeli attacks.
Although Khamenei released a recorded video statement last week in which he claimed Iran had dealt “a slap to America’s face” by striking a US airbase in Qatar and warned against further attacks, Saturday’s event was his first live public appearance since the 12-day conflict began.