Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei makes first public appearance since Israel conflict

State TV shows Iran’s leader cheered at Tehran mosque after weeks out of public view

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This handout picture released by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on July 5, 2025 shows him (R) waving to the audience during a mourning ceremony in Tehran marking the ninth day of the Islamic month of Muharram.
This handout picture released by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on July 5, 2025 shows him (R) waving to the audience during a mourning ceremony in Tehran marking the ninth day of the Islamic month of Muharram.

Tehran: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday made his first public appearance since the outbreak of his country's recent 12-day war with Israel, taking part in a religious ceremony in Tehran, state media reported.

The 86-year-old leader was seen in a state TV broadcast greeting worshippers and receiving cheers at a Tehran mosque during a mourning ceremony on the ninth day of Muharram, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein.

Supporters chant in show of loyalty

Khamenei, 86, can be seen on stage dressed in black as the crowd before him, fists in the air, chants "The blood in our veins for our leader!"

State TV said the clip was filmed at central Tehran's Imam Khomeini Mosque, named for the founder of the Islamic republic.

Khamenei, in power since 1989, spoke last week in a pre-recorded video, but had not been seen in public since before Israel initiated the conflict with a wave of surprise air strikes on June 13.

His last public appearance was two days before that, when he met with members of parliament.

Conflict’s heavy toll on both sides

Israel's bombing campaign followed a decades-long shadow war with Iran, and was aimed at preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon - an ambition Tehran has consistently denied.

The strikes killed more than 900 people in Iran, its judiciary has said, while retaliatory Iranian missile barrages aimed at Israeli cities killed at least 28 people there, according to official figures

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