Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ebrahim Raisi’s health and presence have been a topic of discussion lately, with reports suggesting his alarming condition. Since taking office in March, Raisi has not been seen in public, and his voice has not been heard. According to reports, the key decisions regarding security, war, and diplomacy are being made by Revolutionary Guard commanders and their close circles.
Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s advisor, Abdul Reza Darya, has stated that Raisi is running the country as if he were the head of a board of directors, where major decisions are being made through collective consultation. Just ten days after the passing of former Iranian Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US and Israeli attack, Raisi was appointed as Iran’s third Supreme Leader on March 8, 2026.
Media reports indicate that Raisi is in hiding, especially after the US and Israel’s attack on his father’s compound on February 28, in which his family members were killed. Iranian officials claim that Raisi was severely injured in the attack, but is mentally fit and fully aware of his surroundings. He has undergone three operations on his leg, and will require an artificial limb, while he has also had surgery on one of his hands. Additionally, his face and lips have been severely disfigured, making it difficult for him to speak, and he may require future plastic surgery.
According to international media sources, Raisi has not appeared in any video or audio messages to avoid appearing weak or vulnerable, but has been issuing written statements that are being broadcast on state TV. Reports also suggest that Raisi has extremely limited access, with messages being passed to him through secret channels, and he is currently under the care of doctors and medical staff.
In other news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as highly successful. According to US TV, President Trump has decided to send Steve Wooten and Jared Kushner for negotiations. The US TV reports that it is likely that these negotiations will take place in Islamabad, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will also participate.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy has released images of its operations in the Strait of Hormuz. In Lebanon, an Indonesian member of the UN peacekeeping mission died of a heart attack after being injured last month. This brings the number of UN peacekeepers killed in Lebanon to six. It may take years for Iran and the UAE to rebuild trust after the war. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated that the international community will continue to put pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
Israeli media has been reporting that former Prime Minister Netanyahu has undergone a prostate operation in December 2024. The US Department of Defense has stated that 34 ships have been returned from the Strait of Hormuz so far. Switzerland has announced that it will reopen its embassy in Tehran. The Swiss government said that the embassy in Tehran will reopen gradually from Bern.
In a response to a journalist’s question about how long this situation will continue, Trump claimed that the media was spreading fake news and that the facts on the ground were not being presented accurately. He also claimed that Iran had suffered significant damage. The Iranian Civil Aviation Organization has said that flights to Istanbul and Muscat will resume in the initial phase to gradually restore global communication. India has strongly reacted to US President Donald Trump’s statement labeling it as “Hail Storm”.
