United States President Donald Trump said that American forces had taken out the leadership of Iran on two occasions. He addressed journalists in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
During the event, the American president claimed the US forces in the Middle East had destroyed the Iranian navy and that the 28 mine-layer vessels had been hit.
According to Al Jazeera, the US president also hinted that the prices of oil would soon come down.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was announced as the successor to his father, Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed on the first day of the war. The younger Khamenei has not appeared publicly or issued a statement since his appointment, more than 48 hours after being named supreme leader.
Earlier reports suggested that Mojtaba Khamenei may have been wounded, including injuries to his legs. There were also concerns that any public appearance could make him a potential target. Some state media outlets described him as “janbaz,” a Persian term meaning wounded by the enemy. However, no details were given about the severity or circumstances of the alleged injuries.
It was learnt that Khamenei Jr, believed to hold views even more hard-line than those of his late father, the assassinated Ali Khamenei, now oversees Iran’s armed forces and any decisions regarding Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Although the country’s key nuclear sites lie in ruins following US airstrikes during the ongoing Israel-Iran war, significant quantities of highly enriched uranium remain, just a technical step away from weapons-grade levels. Khamenei could potentially pursue a path his father never took: developing a nuclear bomb.
