Ali Khamenei reappeared in public after more than two weeks of rumors that they wanted the 83-year-old Iranian supreme leader in serious health conditions. Iranian state television showed the Ayatollah delivering, in a firm voice, a speech on the importance of Arbaeen, the ceremony that marks the end of 40 days of mourning for Muhammad’s great-grandson, Imam Hussein.
Yesterday the New York Times had published an article based on four sources, one of which was part of the Guardians of the Revolution, according to which Khamenei had been operated on last week for an intestinal obstruction that could have cost him his life and which, although improving, was still too weak to getting out of bed. Two sources close to the ayatollah denied a Reuters that his health had deteriorated.