Netanyahu: Iran’s new supreme leader “cannot show his face in public"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, “cannot show his face in public,” as tensions between Israel and Iran escalated following joint US-Israeli strikes in Tehran.

Speaking at a press briefing on March 12, Netanyahu said that Israel had eliminated Iran’s previous leader and suggested that his successor was in hiding, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

“We have killed the previous dictator and the new dictator Mojtaba who is the puppet of the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps], cannot show his face in public,” Netanyahu told reporters.

Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since Iranian authorities announced on March 8 that he would assume the position of supreme leader after the death of his father, Ali Khamenei. Iranian officials said Ali Khamenei was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes in Tehran.

On March 12, Iranian state media published what it described as Mojtaba Khamenei’s first public message. However, he did not appear on video or release an audio recording. In recent days, unconfirmed reports have circulated suggesting he may have been injured during the bombardment campaign.

When asked about Mojtaba Khamenei’s fate, Netanyahu declined to clarify whether Israel was planning to target him.

“I wouldn’t put out a life insurance policy on any of the leaders of this terrorist regime, and I’m not going to give you an exact report of what we’re planning and what we’re going to do,” he said.

Netanyahu added that Israel had “severely hit” Iran and its regional allies, saying their capabilities had been significantly reduced. He stressed that Israel remained “committed to completing this task,” and noted that Israeli forces had struck Iranian nuclear scientists, as it did last year.

Among the groups targeted is Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed movement backed by Iran. Israel says it has conducted strikes against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon and is considering a potential ground operation in the country’s south.

Asked whether Israel intended to seize territory in Lebanon, Netanyahu said he had urged the Lebanese government to fulfill its commitment to disarm the militant group.

“If it does not do so then we will have no choice but to do it in our own methods,” Netanyahu said. “Whether on the ground or in other ways – I am not going to specify here but I can promise you that as I said, we are going to exert a very heavy toll from Hezbollah.”

By Sabina Mammadli