Trump reveals new details: “Mujataba is not dead, but very badly injured”

In an interview he gave to radio broadcaster Glenn Beck, US President Donald Trump addressed the rumors and reports recently published in “Atlantic” magazine regarding the fate of Mujtaba Khamenei, and for the first time provided details about his physical condition.

“I don’t think he’s dead, he was seriously injured,” Trump clarified, noting that the left side of his body – and in particular his hand and leg – was severely injured. According to him, the regime’s attempts to broadcast business as usual do not reflect reality: “They make a whole show around the fact that they need to constantly return to him and receive his blessing.”

During the interview, Trump was asked why the public in Iran is not revolting against the regime at the present time. Trump pointed to the brutal and merciless repression exercised by the security mechanisms in Iran and explained that it is very difficult for citizens to take to the streets when the government’s response is deadly and immediate: “It is difficult to demonstrate when people are shooting at you and there are machine guns in front of the demonstrators.”

Regarding the state of the overall campaign, Trump expressed absolute confidence in the decision of the war: “Their army was completely destroyed, and our army did an outstanding job. We are going to victory – we had a victory in Venezuela, and we will have a victory here very soon.”

Last April, the “New York Times” newspaper shed more light on the conditions of his hiding and Mujataba’s complex health condition. According to the report, Khamenei continues to stay in hiding under a heavy shroud of secrecy, and access to him is difficult and extremely limited. He is mainly surrounded by a close medical team and president Masoud Pazkhian, who is a heart surgeon by professional training.

The details of the report show that one of Khamenei’s legs was operated on three times, and he was waiting for a prosthetic leg to be fitted. In addition, his face and lips suffered severe burns which make it difficult for him to speak, and he is expected to need a series of plastic surgeries in the future. However, sources privy to the details point out that cognitively he remains clear-headed and continues to be involved in decision-making and the management of state affairs.

The reason why Khamenei has so far refrained from publishing a videotaped message or a recorded speech is his desire to avoid appearing vulnerable or sounding weak to the public. According to the “New York Times”, to prevent any electronic surveillance or interception, the messages and instructions are delivered to and from him only by hand, in sealed envelopes. These are transported by a tiered network of messengers, who move along main and side roads in cars and motorcycles, until they arrive at his hiding place.