One source close to Pezeshkian’s cabinet told the opposition outlet that Khamenei’s physical condition is poor. “We would not be surprised if we heard news of his martyrdom soon,” the source said. The claims have not been independently verified, and Iranian authorities have not announced that Khamenei is critically ill. His communications with the Iranian public have instead consisted entirely of written statements attributed to him by state media. The account appeared to conflict with Iranian state media reports this year describing a lengthy in-person meeting between the two men.