Iranian official claims new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei "in full health and is managing affairs"

The head of the International Affairs Office of Iran's Assembly of Experts leadership institution, Mohsen Qomi, offered a new insight Friday on the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who survived the Feb. 28 U.S. or Israeli strike that killed his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei. 

Quomi confirmed that the younger Khamenei was wounded in the strike, which U.S. officials say may have left him severely incapacitated, but he claimed the supreme leader was "in full health" and carrying out his duties. 

Khamenei has not been seen or heard from directly since he was announced as his father's successor.

"He was in the building at the time, the same building that was bombed and where those inside were martyred. A few minutes earlier, by coincidence or by divine will, he had gone into the courtyard, and God intended him to be spared," Qomi said in a video published by Iran's Fars news agency. "I assure you that despite the injuries he sustained there — God Almighty preserved him."

Qomi dismissed questions about Khamenei's condition as deliberate efforts by the U.S. to create uncertainty and pressure on the regime.

"This is a tactic of the enemy, trying to say: why is he not present? Why does he not send an audio message? Why does he not send a video message? Why do those who have met him not come forward to report it? They want, through these 'whys,' to force us into reactions while they continue their own plans," said Qomi, adding: "He is in full health and is managing affairs. He is overseeing both negotiations and field matters under his supervision, and recently he also gave some instructions to the negotiating team regarding what they should do under certain conditions. He has full oversight over these issues."

The statement did not offer any new evidence to back up the assertion that Khamenei is leading the country. So far, only written statements attributed to him have been offered by the regime since he was announced as the supreme leader.