War Secretary Pete Hegseth mocked Iran’s leadership Friday, claiming the country’s ruling elite had retreated underground and suggesting the Islamic Republic’s new supreme leader may be injured.
Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Hegseth said Iran’s leaders were “desperate and hiding” as U.S. and Israeli military operations continued across the country.
“Iran’s leadership is in no better shape, desperate and hiding. They’ve gone underground, cowering,” Hegseth said. “That’s what rats do.”
Don’t miss the stories that matter.
Get Sean’s breaking news alerts — free, direct to your inbox.
He also claimed the newly installed Iranian leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had been wounded during the conflict.
“We know the new so-called not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured,” Hegseth said.
Khamenei, 56, has not appeared publicly since assuming leadership following the death of his father, longtime Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed during joint U.S.–Israeli strikes earlier in the conflict.
The younger Khamenei issued his first statement as supreme leader Thursday, but the remarks were delivered by a presenter on Iranian state television rather than by the leader himself.
Hegseth pointed to the unusual format as evidence that the new leader may be injured or in hiding.
“He put out a statement yesterday — a weak one, actually — but there was no voice and there was no video,” Hegseth said. “It was a written statement.”
“Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why,” he added.
Hegseth also suggested Iran’s leadership structure had been thrown into chaos by the ongoing strikes.
“His father dead, he’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run and he lacks legitimacy,” the defense secretary said. “It’s a mess for them. Who’s in charge?”
Iranian officials have not publicly addressed Hegseth’s claims about Mojtaba Khamenei’s condition, though the leader has not been seen in public since the conflict escalated with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.
Watch the clip below:
.@SECWAR “Iran’s leadership is in no better shape; DESPERATE AND HIDING —they’ve gone underground, cowering. That’s what rats do.
We know the new so-called, not-so-Supreme Leader is wounded and likely disfigured.
He put out a statement yesterday—a weak one, actually—but there… pic.twitter.com/JZ8hh3LnH5
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) March 13, 2026
President Trump also shared his thoughts Friday morning; he thinks the new Supreme Leader is ‘alive, but damaged.”
Watch the clip below:
🚨 JUST IN: President Trump says Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “alive, but DAMAGED”
“I think he probably is [alive], I think he is damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form, you know.”
He’s reportedly in DESPERATE hiding 👀 pic.twitter.com/sUoJqggDA1
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 13, 2026
