On Friday, US defense secretary Pete Hegseth said he believed Khamenei, who took power after his father was killed in a strike at the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, “is wounded and likely disfigured”.

Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told MS NOW’s Ayman Mohyeldin “there is no problem with the new supreme leader. He sent his message yesterday, and he will perform his duties.”

Iranian officials have previously confirmed reports that the new leader is wounded but have given no further detail.

Khamenei, 56, has not been seen in public since the airstrike that killed his father and predecessor as supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and several key family members.

But on Thursday, he issued a written statement, in which he said his wife, sister, her child and his brother-in-law were killed. He vowed to avenge the deaths since the start of the war with the US and Israel.

He also emphasised Iran’s potential to cause havoc across the region by squeezing oil supplies and using regional proxies.