Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, narrowly escaped death during a US-Israeli missile strike that killed his father, former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a report by The Telegraph. The attack, which targeted a high-security compound, reportedly left several senior officials and family members dead.

Citing a purportedly leaked audio recording from a closed-door meeting of Iranian officials, the report said Mojtaba had stepped out of the building moments before it was hit by missiles, sparing his life.

Narrow escape moments before impact

According to the report, Mojtaba had briefly left the main structure and moved into the compound’s garden just before the strike occurred. The missiles struck seconds later, destroying key sections of the residence.

"God’s will was that Mojtaba had to go out to the yard to do something and then return," Mazaher Hosseini, head of protocol for Khamenei's office, reportedly told Iranian officials in the leaked audio.

"He was outside and was heading upstairs when they struck the building with a missile," Hosseini reportedly said.

Missile strike devastates compound

The report indicated that at least three ballistic missiles were used in the attack. One directly hit the area where Ali Khamenei was located, killing him along with dozens of others. Another reportedly struck Mojtaba’s residence on an upper floor within the compound.

Hosseini claimed Mojtaba sustained only a minor leg injury despite the scale of the blast.

A third missile is said to have hit the residence of Mojtaba’s brother-in-law, Misbah al-Huda Bagheri Kani, also within the same compound.

Also read: Iran leader Mojtaba Khamenei injured and secretly moved to Moscow: Reports

Graphic details emerge from leaked audio

The leaked recording, as cited by The Telegraph, described the extent of destruction caused by the strike. Among those reportedly killed was Iran’s military chief Mohammad Shirazi.

"He was blown to pieces – they could find nothing from him," Hosseini said in the audio cited by The Telegraph. "At the end they found a few kilos of flesh and identified it as his body."

Describing another impact, Hosseini added, "The missile was so powerful that it went downstairs and cut his head in half," referring to the strike on Bagheri Kani’s residence.

Uncertainty over Mojtaba’s condition

The report has surfaced amid ongoing speculation about Mojtaba Khamenei’s health and whereabouts. The Iranian leader has not appeared in public since the escalation of the conflict, fuelling rumours about his condition.

His only known communication has been a televised message in which he vowed retaliation, but his absence from public view has raised questions.

US President Donald Trump also weighed in on the uncertainty, saying: "A lot of people are saying that he’s badly disfigured other people are saying he's dead,"

"We haven’t seen him at all," he added. "We don’t know if he’s dead or not."

In separate remarks, Trump reiterated the lack of clarity: "A lot of people are saying that he's badly disfigured. They're saying that he lost one leg, and he's been hurt very badly. Other people are saying he's dead,"

"Nobody's saying he's 100 percent healthy. He hasn't spoken because the Ayatollah would sit and he'd spew hate from a form of a throne... We don't know if he's dead or not. I will say this: nobody's seen him, which is unusual,"

He further said, "I don't know if he's even alive. So far, nobody's been able to show him."

US officials echo concerns, tensions persist

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth suggested that Mojtaba may have been seriously injured in the strike, claiming he was “wounded and likely disfigured”. He also described a recent written statement from the Iranian leader as weak, alleging that he appeared “scared” and lacking authority.

Trump, in a recent interview, said reports about Mojtaba’s possible death remain unconfirmed. "I'm hearing he's not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that's surrender."

The developments come amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran following weeks of military confrontation and stalled diplomatic efforts.

(With inputs from agencies)