Trump declares ‘all Iran’s leaders are dead’ as questions over supreme leader mount

WorldPolitics
17 Mar 2026 • 1:49 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • President Donald Trump has once again suggested that Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is dead as questions swirl over his status after being injured in the war.
  • “He hasn’t spoken,” the US president said at a press conference Monday, comparing the new ayatollah to his father who he said would “spew hate”.
  • “Nobody’s seen him which is unusual,” Trump stated after Iranian state TV read out a statement last week, supposedly from the new supreme leader.
  • Trump added that he did not want to secure a deal with Iran “yet” as the US doesn’t know who is leading the country.
  • “All of their leaders are dead,” he said. “We don’t know who we’re dealing with.”

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