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The statement was notable not only for its threats but for the way it was delivered. Iranian state television broadcast the text while showing a still image of Khamenei, rather than footage of him speaking, intensifying questions about his condition and his ability to govern in wartime. Reuters reported a day earlier that an Iranian official described him as lightly injured but still active after state television referred to him as war-wounded. A senior Israeli official separately told Reuters that Israel’s intelligence assessment was that he had been lightly wounded, helping explain why he had not been seen in public. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he believed Iran’s new leader was alive but “damaged,” adding another public layer to the speculation around a figure who has long wielded power from behind the scenes rather than as a prominent public speaker.
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