“As far as I know,” declared Araghchi in an interview with American broadcaster NBC News, Khamenei remains safe. According to the chancellor, the main members of the regime also survived the bombings. “All high-ranking officials are alive. Everyone is now in their positions. We are dealing with this situation. Everything is fine,” he said. He acknowledged, however, the death of two military commanders.
Earlier, Israel’s Channel 12 had reported, citing anonymous sources, that the Israeli preliminary assessment indicated that Khamenei was “probably dead” after the attacks. A bombing would have occurred near his offices, but, according to a source interviewed by the Reuters agency, the supreme leader was not in Tehran at the time, as he would have been transferred to a safe location. Iranian state media also reported that President Masoud Pezeshkian is safe.
military escalation
The chancellor’s statements came hours after a joint offensive by the United States and Israel against targets on Iranian territory. American President Donald Trump stated that the action was aimed at defending the people of the USA. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a state of emergency throughout the country.
In response, Iranian forces launched missiles at Israel and also announced attacks on American military bases in the Middle East. Israeli airspace was immediately closed, and warning sirens sounded in the north of the country. According to the Israeli Armed Forces, the Air Force intercepted part of the projectiles. “Right now, the Air Force is working to intercept and attack the threats,” the military reported.
Explosions were also recorded in at least four Iranian cities: Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah, in addition to the capital Tehran. Authorities suspended air traffic in the country, while telephone and internet services failed, according to reports from local journalists.
According to the Iranian press, an Israeli attack hit an elementary school in the south of the country and left more than 50 people dead. Girls would be among the victims. The information has not yet been confirmed by independent sources.
Deaths of commanders and appeal to the UN
Araghchi confirmed the deaths of two commanders, but minimized the impact of the losses. “We may have lost some commanders, but that’s not a big problem,” he said. The Reuters agency, citing military sources, reported that Iran’s Defense Minister, Amir Nasirzadeh, and the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, Mohammed Pakpour, died in the attacks — information that still awaits official confirmation.
The Iranian foreign minister also stated that the country is interested in de-escalating the conflict, but that it is not currently in contact with the United States. According to him, Tehran sees the possibility of an agreement that ensures that the Iranian nuclear program has exclusively peaceful purposes, but is waiting for the end of the attacks to resume negotiations.
In a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Araghchi highlighted “the importance of the international community, especially the UN Security Council, taking decisive action to stop aggressive actions and hold criminals accountable,” according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
The supreme leader is expected to make a statement soon, according to Iranian broadcaster Al-Alam.
