Iran’s missing Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, was disfigured so severely by Israeli strikes that he requires plastic surgery.
According to reports, following Israeli strikes on February 28, Mojtaba’s face was badly burned. The injuries suffered by the new Ayatollah have kept the new leader from releasing any audio or video message since the attack.
Four Iranian officials reportedly spoke to The New York Times, with them claiming Mojtaba “does not want to appear vulnerable or sound weak”.
The officials added that one of the new Supreme Leader’s legs has been “operated on three times, and he is awaiting a prosthetic”.
“His face and lips have been burned severely, making it difficult for him to speak and he will need plastic surgery,” wrote New York Times reporter Farnaz Fassihi.