Speaking to political commentator Glenn Beck, Trump claimed Khamenei was seriously wounded on the left side of his body, including his arm and leg, Anadolu Agency reported.
“He was very seriously wounded,” Trump said.
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Trump also questioned Iranian government statements indicating that Khamenei remains involved in decision-making.
He suggested that if the Iranian leader had died, Tehran was doing a convincing job of maintaining the appearance that he was still alive and being consulted.
Trump did not provide evidence for his claims about Khamenei’s condition.
The US president also said he expected the conflict with Iran to conclude “fairly soon,” while repeating his assertion that the Strait of Hormuz has effectively been reopened.
Trump said about 10 million barrels of oil passed through the strategically important waterway on Tuesday and claimed 22 vessels safely transited the strait overnight.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy route, carrying a substantial share of the world’s seaborne oil shipments. Any disruption to traffic through the waterway can have major consequences for global energy markets.
Trump described the developments as signs of an approaching US victory.
“We had the victory in Venezuela, and we’re going to have a big victory here very soon,” he said.
His comments come amid continuing uncertainty over the military conflict, the condition of Iran’s leadership and the future of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
