Khaberni - Iranian Minister of Intelligence Ismail Khatib warned of American and Israeli attempts to target Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei or to incite disturbances within Iran, as reported by local media.
Khatib, according to what was reported by the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) on Saturday evening, stated that the Supreme Leader is the "pillar", and "thus the enemies seek to target him and undertake actions that threaten this axis of unity."
It was unclear whether the minister was referring to a specific incident or plan, but Iranian officials often speak of foreign conspiracies typically attributed to the United States and Israel. However, addressing the security of the Guide himself had been a rare occurrence before the Iranian-Israeli war last summer.
On June 13, Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Iran, leading to a 12-day war in which the United States briefly participated by striking three key Iranian nuclear facilities.
On November 11, Iranian President Masoud Bazeshkian said he feared Khamenei's assassination in June during the war, and that his assassination, if it had actually occurred, would have caused internal divisions.
Bazeshkian added in a video broadcast by official media, "I was not afraid for myself, I was afraid that something might happen to the Guide, and that we would dispute amongst ourselves."
Ali Khamenei is 86 years old and has held his position since 1989, succeeding Ayatollah Khomeini. He has the final decision on all strategic issues of the Islamic Republic, and U.S. and Israeli officials have repeatedly threatened to assassinate him.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -wanted by the International Criminal Court- said in an interview with AC News during the war that killing the Guide "would not inflame the conflict, but would end it."
Likewise, U.S. President Donald Trump said that killing Khamenei was an "easy target," but Washington "will not kill him, at least not for now."
There were no public appearances of Khamenei during the war; he addressed the Iranian people in recorded speeches where no one appeared with him.
Since the ceasefire between Iran and Israel came into effect on June 24 last year, the Guide has significantly reduced his public appearances.
