Iran promises footage of Mojtaba Khamenei as Strait of Hormuz shipping-lane deal nears

Iranian authorities have said footage of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will be released, in a move that appears aimed at countering speculation over his health and public visibility. The announcement comes as a separate arrangement with Oman on new shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz is said to be in its final stages. Together, the two developments highlight continuing political and maritime tensions involving Tehran.

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According to the supplied report, Khamenei has not been seen in public since he assumed the role in March. A deputy from the Basij Organisation, Qasem Qoraishi, said on Sunday that footage would be released in the future. He said the material would "once again bring disgrace upon the enemies and detractors of the Iranian people".

The comments were reported by Iran's judiciary-linked news outlet and were presented as a response to speculation about his condition. The report also says Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Khamenei around the start of the president's third year in office in late July, but has given different accounts about access to him in recent weeks. On 21 July, Pezeshkian said interactions with the supreme leader were "increasing day by day".

In early August, he said communicating with Khamenei was "very difficult". The article also says senior Iranian sources have claimed Khamenei suffered facial disfigurement, although that has not been independently confirmed in the supplied material. The leadership issue matters because it touches on continuity at the top of Iran's political system at a time of wider regional pressure.

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The report says Khamenei was seriously injured in the 28 February strike that killed his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran. It also notes that he had generally kept a low public profile before becoming supreme leader. In that context, any official footage would be read not only as a personal appearance but also as a signal about internal stability.

The maritime element adds another layer of significance. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes, and the report says a deal with Oman defining new shipping lanes is close to completion. Iran has also reiterated that the strait would only reopen if the United States met other conditions.

That suggests the shipping arrangement remains tied to broader diplomatic and security bargaining rather than being a purely technical maritime measure. What remains unclear is when the promised footage will be released and what it will show. It is also not clear whether the Oman-linked shipping-lane deal will be finalised, or what exact conditions Iran says must be met before the strait reopens.

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