A senior Iranian cleric has said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in "full physical health" and continuing to oversee state affairs without interruption, dismissing speculation about his condition as enemy psychological warfare, Alef reported on April 30.

Mojtaba Khamenei’s continued absence from public view, coupled with the lack of independently verified evidence about his condition, has turned his status into a source of political speculation rather than a confirmed fact, deepening questions over leadership and decision-making in Iran

Iran's leadership has allegedly kept Khamenei out of public view since the conflict with the United States and Israel that began in late November.

A ceasefire was declared on April 8, but subsequent talks held in Pakistan failed to produce a lasting peace agreement, and Washington has since imposed a naval blockade on shipping linked to Iran.

Hojjatoleslam Qomi told the outlet that questions over the absence of recent audio or video messages from Khamenei and the lack of public appearances were part of a targeted campaign by adversaries.

He said the priority in current conditions was protecting the Supreme Leader's life.

Qomi confirmed that individuals present in the building had been killed during the strike on the leader's residence, but that Khamenei himself had been spared. "By divine grace, the leader of the revolution was protected from this incident, and God preserved him as a reserve for the Shia," Qomi said.

He added that Khamenei was in good physical health and that the country's management was continuing without disruption.

The Supreme Leader was directly overseeing a range of issues, including the negotiation process and developments on the ground, Qomi said.

The cleric also disclosed that Khamenei had recently issued instructions to the Iranian negotiating team, given the current conditions, to better guide the talks.