Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has made his first public appearance since the beginning of the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran.
Iran's state television broadcasted Ayatollah Khamenei waving and nodding to a chanting crowd that stood as he entered the mosque adjacent to his office and residence in Tehran. No public statement from him was reported immediately.
His absence during the war indicated that the Iranian leader, who holds ultimate authority over all state affairs, was under stringent security measures. It is believed that at 86 years old, he spent the duration of the conflict in a bunker due to rising threats against his life.
After the United States became involved in the conflict by targeting three major nuclear sites in Iran with bombings, President Donald Trump issued warnings to Khamenei through social media. He stated that while the US was aware of his location, there were no immediate plans to assassinate him "at least for now."
On June 26, following the onset of a ceasefire, Khamenei made his first public remarks in several days. In a pre-recorded message, he claimed that Tehran had given America "a slap to its face" by targeting a US air base in Qatar and cautioned against any additional assaults on Iran by the US or Israel.
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