Rubio Says Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Is Active

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Tuesday that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is alive and appears to be taking a more active role in the country’s decision-making, despite not having been seen publicly since assuming office. Rubio made the remarks during a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, offering a rare public assessment of the Iranian leader’s status amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the months-long conflict between the two nations.

Mojtaba Khamenei succeeded his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes that marked the beginning of the war on February 28. The younger Khamenei was reportedly injured in the same attack. Rubio told lawmakers that while the supreme leader has not appeared publicly, there are indications he is increasingly engaged, with all communications being conducted in writing and through intermediaries. He described Iran’s internal decision-making process as highly centralized, with negotiators needing to relay messages to a governing council for approval, a process he said often takes three to five days.

The secretary’s comments come as Washington and Tehran exchange conflicting signals about...