Marco Rubio: Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei 'Increasingly Engaging' Amid Disappearance

US state secretary Marco Rubio said he "believes" Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is alive and is becoming "increasingly engaging" in leadership matters. While addressing the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, Rubio said that Khamenei has not been seen or heard directly and suggested that concerns over the safety of senior figures within Iran's leadership may be influencing that decision. “I think there are indications, we have not heard from him publicly. We have not seen him publicly. And I would imagine that what's happened to multiple leaders in that system, being very public, is probably not something that's recommended for them internally. “

Rubio added that available indications suggest Khamenei is engaging in some capacity. “I think there are indications out there that he is increasingly engaging at some level, although all of his communications have been in writing and through intermediaries..."

These remarks come amid growing international scrutiny over Mojtaba Khamenei's condition following his disappearance from public view after reportedly being seriously injured on 28 February. His prolonged absence has fueled widespread speculation and raised questions about the stability and continuity of Iran's leadership structure.

What happened on February 28? The US-led strike attacked a sprawling presidential complex in the heart of Tehran on February 28, 2026. As per the reports, Mojtaba’s father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was at his residence with several members of his family, including Mojtaba’s wife, Zahra, and his teenage son, Mohammad Bagher, who were also killed in the attack. After the death of Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba was elected as the Supreme leader of Iran.

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