- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been absent from public view for nearly a week amid crisis in Iran
- Khamenei was earlier reported to be hiding in a secure bunker, avoiding electronic communication
- Despite Iranians claiming victory in the recent conflict, Khamenei has yet to address his countrymen
It's been over 24 hours since US President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, but the disappearance of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from public view for nearly a week has raised alarm and widespread concern.
Despite people taking to the streets of Tehran to celebrate what they call their nation's victory in the recent aerial conflict, Khamenei has yet to address his countrymen. He's neither at home nor office.
During an interview with The New York Times, Mehdi Fazaeli, head of Khamenei's archives office, was asked about the Supreme Leader's well-being. "People are very worried about the Supreme Leader," the host asked. Without offering a direct answer, Fazaeli simply said, "We all should be praying." He added that he received numerous inquiries from officials, and viewers had sent a flood of messages asking the same question.
He mentioned that the people who are responsible for protecting the Supreme Leader are doing their job well, adding, "God willing, our people can celebrate victory next to their leader, God willing."
Earlier, officials reported that the Supreme Leader had been hiding in a secure underground bunker and was avoiding all electronic communication to prevent assassination attempts. But his continued silence despite the extraordinary crisis his country faced only deepened the mystery.
The 86-year-old's absence has also worried Mohsen Khalifeh, who leads Khaneman, a real estate-focused newspaper based in Tehran. He said, "Days-long absence [of Khamenei] has made all of us who love him very worried."
On rumours about Khamenei's death, he said that if it were true, his funeral procession would be "the most glorious and historic."
On Tuesday, Trump announced the ceasefire between Israel and Iran and warned the two countries against violating it.
The ceasefire came 12 days after Israel launched an unexpected airstrike in Iran, claiming Tehran was close to producing a nuclear weapon. According to reports, Iranian officials claimed the attacks left 627 people dead and nearly 5,000 injured. In retaliation, Iran also targeted parts of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, leaving a trail of damaged buildings and at least 14 people dead.
Just when Israel and Iran traded missiles, Trump ordered the destruction of Tehran's nuclear facilities at three different locations before saying now it was time for peace.
