https://youtu.be/oi0gGU2F2ME

Iran uses months-old video of Supreme Leader as "proof of life"

Aug 9, 2026

An Iranian government-backed news outlet shared video claiming to show Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei for the first time since he was named as his father’s successor; however, Middle East experts have said the "new" video is actually old and began circulating around the time the US began "Operation Epic Fury," targeting Mojtaba's father Ali Khamenei.

The video publication came as questions loom over whether Mojtaba Khamenei is severely injured or even alive, as well as whether he has fled Iran, as numerous reports suggest.

Iran's leadership has also released new demands, saying the Strait of Hormuz cannot reopen until the US blockade ends.