Department of War Pete Hegseth said that the new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is "wounded and likely disfigured" after US and Israeli forces conducted strikes in the country starting on February 28. Mojtaba Khamenei's father, Ayatollah ali Khamenei, was killed on the first day of the conflict.
"Desperate in hiding, they've gone underground cowering. That's what rats do," Hegseth said of Iran's leadership. "We know the new so-called not-so-'supreme leader' is wounded and likely disfigured. He put out a statement yesterday, a weak one, actually, but there was no voice and there was no video. It was a written statement. He called for unity. Apparently, killing tens of thousands of protesters is his kind of unity!"
"Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father, dead. He's scared, he's injured, he's on the run, and he lacks legitimacy. It's a mess for them. Who's in charge? Iran may not even know. With every passing hour, we know, and we know they know, that the military capabilities of their evil regime are crumbling," Hegseth added.
The comments from Hegseth come after the younger Khamenei was appointed to be supreme leader in Iran, but there are reports that he his leg was amputated after he was hit during strikes. Others have said he is in a coma. After being appointed, Khamenei purportedly wrote a statement that was read by a state media news anchor.
It stated “I assure everyone that we will not refrain from avenging the blood of your martyrs,” the supreme leader said. “The retaliation we have in mind is not limited only to the martyrdom of the great leader of the revolution [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]; rather, every member of the nation who is martyred by the enemy constitutes a separate case in the file of revenge.” The message, according to Khosro Isfahani, the research director for the Washington-based National Union for Democracy in Iran think tank, said that the statement is a wider call for allies of Iran to pursue revenge, per the New York Post.
“It hints at activating terror cells, like the warnings that have come out of Europe and the US, and the reports of preparing strikes on the West Coast,” Isfahani told reporters. The conflict, Hegseth said, has heavily degraded Iran's capabilities.
"Their missiles, their missile launchers, and drones—are being destroyed or shot out of the sky. Their missiles volume is down 90 percent. Their One-way Attack drones yesterday are down 95 percent," Hegseth said.
"Desperate in hiding, they've gone underground cowering. That's what rats do," Hegseth said of Iran's leadership. "We know the new so-called not-so-'supreme leader' is wounded and likely disfigured. He put out a statement yesterday, a weak one, actually, but there was no voice and there was no video. It was a written statement. He called for unity. Apparently, killing tens of thousands of protesters is his kind of unity!"
"Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father, dead. He's scared, he's injured, he's on the run, and he lacks legitimacy. It's a mess for them. Who's in charge? Iran may not even know. With every passing hour, we know, and we know they know, that the military capabilities of their evil regime are crumbling," Hegseth added.
The comments from Hegseth come after the younger Khamenei was appointed to be supreme leader in Iran, but there are reports that he his leg was amputated after he was hit during strikes. Others have said he is in a coma. After being appointed, Khamenei purportedly wrote a statement that was read by a state media news anchor.
It stated “I assure everyone that we will not refrain from avenging the blood of your martyrs,” the supreme leader said. “The retaliation we have in mind is not limited only to the martyrdom of the great leader of the revolution [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]; rather, every member of the nation who is martyred by the enemy constitutes a separate case in the file of revenge.” The message, according to Khosro Isfahani, the research director for the Washington-based National Union for Democracy in Iran think tank, said that the statement is a wider call for allies of Iran to pursue revenge, per the New York Post.
“It hints at activating terror cells, like the warnings that have come out of Europe and the US, and the reports of preparing strikes on the West Coast,” Isfahani told reporters. The conflict, Hegseth said, has heavily degraded Iran's capabilities.
"Their missiles, their missile launchers, and drones—are being destroyed or shot out of the sky. Their missiles volume is down 90 percent. Their One-way Attack drones yesterday are down 95 percent," Hegseth said.
