Iran’ s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday made his first public appearance since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran began, attending a mourning ceremony on the eve of Ashoura.

Khamenei’s absence during the war suggested heavy security for the Iranian leader, who has final say on all state matters. State TV in Iran showed him waving and nodding to the chanting crowd, which rose to its feet as he entered and sat at a mosque next to his office and residence in the capital, Tehran.

There was no immediate report on any public statement made. Iranian officials such as the Parliament speaker were present. Such events are always held under heavy security.

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The 86-year-old Khamenei had spent the war in a bunker as threats to his life escalated.

After the U.S. inserted itself into the war by bombing three key nuclear sites in Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump sent warnings via social media to Khamenei that the U.S. knew where he was but had no plans to kill him, “at least for now.”

On June 26, shortly after a ceasefire began, Khamenei made his first public statement in days, saying in a prerecorded statement that Tehran had delivered a “slap to America’s face” by striking a U.S. air base in Qatar, and warning against further attacks by the U.S. or Israel on Iran.

Trump replied, in remarks to reporters and on social media: “Look, you’re a man of great faith. A man who’s highly respected in his country. You have to tell the truth. You got beat to hell.”

Iran has acknowledged the deaths of more than 900 people in the war, as well as thousands of injured. It also has confirmed serious damage to its nuclear facilities, and has denied access to them for inspectors with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

Iran’s president on Wednesday ordered the country to suspend its cooperation with the watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, further limiting inspectors’ ability to track a program that had been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels. Israel launched the war fearing that Iran was trying to develop atomic weapons.

It remains unclear just how badly damaged the nuclear facilities are, whether any enriched uranium or centrifuges had been moved before the attacks, and whether Tehran still would be willing to continue negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program.

Israel also targeted defense systems, high-ranking military officials and atomic scientists. In retaliation, Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of them intercepted, killing 28 people and causing damage in many areas.

Ceremony commemorates a death that caused rift in Islam

The ceremony that Khamenei hosted Saturday was a remembrance of the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein.

Shiites represent over 10% of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims, and they view Hussein as the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad. Hussein’s death in battle at the hands of Sunnis at Karbala, south of Baghdad, created a rift in Islam and continues to play a key role in shaping Shiite identity.

In predominantly Shiite Iran, red flags represented Hussein’s blood and black funeral tents and clothes represented mourning. Processions of chest-beating and self-flagellating men demonstrated fervor. Some sprayed water over the mourners in the intense heat.

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Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Saturday, made his first public appearance since the onset of the war with Israel, emerging from what many believe was a tightly secured bunker. Iran’s leader was out to attend a mourning religious ceremony on the eve of Ashoura in Tehran. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had remained out of public view during the height of the conflict with Israel.(AP)

Khamenei was seen greeting people and being cheered at a mosque as worshippers marked the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, an important date for Shia Muslims, state media agency IRNA reported.

The 86-year-old leader had remained out of public view during the height of the conflict. His appearance, broadcast by state television, showed him waving and nodding to a crowd of mourners as he entered a mosque adjacent to his residence and office in the capital.

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Khamenei’s absence during the war suggested heavy security for the Iranian leader.

Khamenei did not make any immediate public statement during the ceremony, which commemorated the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a key figure in Shiite Islam. High-ranking officials, including Iran’s Parliament speaker, were in attendance, and security at the event was visibly tight.

After the U.S. inserted itself into the war by bombing three key nuclear sites in Iran, US President Donald Trump sent warnings via social media to Khamenei that the U.S. knew where he was but had no plans to kill him, “at least for now.”

Also Read | Is Iran planning something dangerous? Nuclear experts have a warning after US strikes

On June 26, shortly after a ceasefire began, Khamenei made his first public statement in days, saying in a prerecorded statement that Tehran had delivered a “slap to America’s face” by striking a US air base in Qatar and warning against further attacks by the US or Israel on Iran.

Trump replied, in remarks to reporters and on social media: “Look, you’re a man of great faith. A man who’s highly respected in his country. You have to tell the truth. You got beat to hell.”

Iran-Israel war

The war, which Iran says killed more than 900 of its citizens and injured thousands more, also caused severe damage to its nuclear infrastructure.

In its aftermath, Tehran has blocked international inspectors from accessing its facilities and suspended cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, deepening global concerns about Iran’s uranium enrichment program.

Also Read | U.N. Pulls Nuclear Inspectors Out of Iran for Safety Reasons

It remains unclear just how badly damaged the nuclear facilities are, whether any enriched uranium or centrifuges had been moved before the attacks and whether Tehran still would be willing to continue negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program.

During the 12-day war with Israel, Khamenei appeared on TV in three video messages and there was speculation that he was hiding in a bunker.

On Saturday Iranian media coverage was dominated by Khamenei’s appearance, with footage of supporters expressing joy at seeing him on television.

Khamenei is seen turning to senior cleric Mahmoud Karimi, encouraging him to “sing the anthem, O Iran”. The patriotic song became particularly popular during the recent conflict with Israel.

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

Iranian TV has invited people to send in videos sharing their reactions to Khamenei’s return to the public eye.

His appearance comes as the predominantly Shia Muslim country observes a period of mourning during the month of Muharram, traditionally attended by the supreme leader.

Ashura is held on the 10th day of Muharram – this year falling on 6 July – during which Shia Muslims commemorate the death of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hossein.

On 26 June, in pre-recorded remarks aired on state television, Khamenei said Iran would not surrender to Israel despite US President Donald Trump’s calls.

The US joined the war with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on 22 June.

The operation involved 125 US military aircraft and targeted three nuclear facilities: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.

Iran’s judiciary said more than 900 people were killed during the 12-day war.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made his first public appearance since the start of the 12-day war with Israel, in which several leading Iranian political, military, and scientific leaders were struck in targeted killings by the Israeli military.

Iranian State TV on July 5 showed Khamenei waving to a chanting crowd as he entered a mosque located next to his residence in Tehran.

Khamenei attended ceremonies marking Ashura, an important Islamic day of commemoration, although state media it said he did not make a speech at the event.

Others at the event spoke of “resistance” to attacks and that Iran “would never surrender,” echoing remarks made earlier by Khamenei, state media reported.

Khamenei, 86, once the omnipresent face of the Islamic republic, retreated into near-total seclusion during the war launched on June 13 by Israel amid reports that he was on Israel’s hit list.

His only appearances — a pair of video statements, the second apparently filmed in a bunker with downgraded production quality — did little to reassure the nation.

US President Donald Trump said he had at least twice prevented attacks on Khamenei by the Israelis.

Trump once emphasized in a message in the midst of Israel’s harsh attacks that the United States was aware of his whereabouts but that it had no intention of killing him.

The US military also conducted air strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, claiming to have destroyed the facilities, although details remain difficult to confirm.

The supreme leader’s absence from view was the subject of social media speculation in Iran and occasionally the butt of jokes.

Despite the losses suffered by Iran – especially to its nuclear program and military leadership — Khamenei claimed in a June 26 recorded message that Iran had won the conflict against Israel and the United States, a remark repeated by other state officials and media.

Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News anchor and right-wing media personality in the United States, on July 5 said he had conducted an interview with Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian that would be made public “in a day or two.”

In a video message on X, Carlson said the interview was conducted remotely and through an interpreter.

Carlson said he had also offered to interview Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but had not yet had a response. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet in Washington with Trump on July 7.

With reporting by AP

Shafaq News – Tehran

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared publicly on Saturday evening for the first time since the recent 12-day confrontation between Iran and Israel, attending Ashura night mourning rituals at the Imam Khomeini Hosseiniya in Tehran.

Footage circulated by Iranian state media showed Khamenei entering the venue as attendees—including men, women, and children—stood and chanted in his support.

His appearance follows a period of public absence that fueled speculation, particularly after he missed the traditional mourning ceremony on the eve of the seventh of Muharram—an event he regularly attended in previous years. Iranian media noted that, unlike previous occasions, government officials were invited to this year’s ceremonies despite Khamenei not appearing publicly at earlier gatherings.

Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz publicly stated that Tel Aviv had contemplated the assassination of Khamenei during the conflict but ultimately concluded there was “no opportunity” to do so at that time.