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Iran’s foreign minister has confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is alive, dismissing reports of his death following US-Israel strikes. Tehran signalled openness to de-escalation even as tensions escalate across the Middle East.
Iran’s Foreign Minister has confirmed that the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is alive
Tehran: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is alive, rejecting media reports that he had been killed during the recent joint military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.
Speaking in an interview with NBC News, Araghchi said that, to the best of his knowledge, Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials remain safe. He added that government leadership continues to function normally despite the ongoing conflict.
“All high-ranking officials are alive and continuing their responsibilities,” the minister said, stressing that authorities in Tehran are managing the situation.
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While tensions remain high, the Iranian foreign minister indicated that Tehran is open to reducing hostilities if the military campaign ends.
Araghchi said Iran’s current military response is directed mainly at American military installations across the Middle East and not aimed at expanding the conflict further.
He also suggested that diplomatic communication remains possible, saying the United States could reach out if it wished to initiate dialogue with Iranian leadership.
“We are interested in de-escalation,” he said, adding that Iran does not seek a prolonged war despite the recent developments.
The confirmation about Khamenei’s safety comes amid reports that the joint US-Israeli strikes caused major damage in Iran and led to the deaths of several senior figures.
According to media reports, Iran’s defence minister and senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were among those killed during the attacks. Iranian authorities, however, have not yet issued detailed official casualty figures.
The strikes were part of a broader military operation targeting what Washington and Tel Aviv described as Iranian military and strategic infrastructure.
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In response, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes against multiple American military installations across the region. Targets reportedly include facilities in Manama, Doha, Kuwait City, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Erbil. Iranian officials have warned that further attacks could follow if military pressure continues.
Several Gulf countries have expressed concern over the rapidly escalating confrontation and urged all sides to avoid further military escalation.
Regional governments have called for restraint and emphasised the need to resolve the crisis through dialogue and diplomatic engagement to prevent wider instability in the Middle East.
