Iran's supreme leader makes first public appearance since 12-day war

2025-07-06 12:07:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has appeared in public for the first time since the start of the 12-day war with Israel, during which some of Iran's top political, military and scientific leaders were killed by the Israeli army.

Iranian state television showed Khamenei on Saturday greeting crowds as he entered a mosque near his residence in Tehran.

Khamenei attended the marking of the Ashura holiday, an important day of remembrance in Islam. However, state TV reported that he did not deliver a speech at the event.

Other participants at the event spoke of "resistance" to the attacks and stressed that Iran "will never surrender," echoing previous statements by Khamenei, according to state television.

Khamenei, 86, once the ever-present face of the Islamic republic, withdrew almost completely from public view during the war that Israel launched on June 13, after it was said that he was on Israel's target list.

His only appearances – two video statements, the second one apparently filmed in a bunker – failed to calm the nation.

US President Donald Trump has said that he had prevented Israeli attacks against Khamenei at least twice.

Trump, in a message during the fierce Israeli attacks, had emphasized that the US was aware of Khamenei's location, but had no intention of killing him.

The US military also carried out airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, claiming to have completely destroyed them, although detailed verification of the damage remains difficult.

The supreme leader's absence from public view became a topic of gossip on social media in Iran and occasionally the subject of ridicule.

Despite the losses Iran has suffered – particularly in its nuclear program and military leadership – Khamenei declared in a recorded message on June 26 that Iran had won the conflict against Israel and the United States.

His statement has been repeated by other state officials and the media.

Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson, former Fox News host and well-known right-wing media figure in the US, stated on July 5 that he had conducted an interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, which would be published "within a day or two."

In a video message on X, Carlson said the interview was conducted remotely and through a translator.

He added that he had also offered an interview to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but had not yet received a response. Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump in Washington on July 7./ Rel