Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei’s advisor Shamkhani 'alive', reports state media after declaring him dead in initial Israeli strikes

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s advisor Ali Shamkhani is alive, report Iranian state media, after declaring him dead in the initial strikes by Israel on June 13. Several news outlets have run reports claiming Shamkhani is recuperating from serious injuries in the hospital. Statements attributed to the advisor have surfaced, which read, “I am alive and ready to sacrifice myself.” Reports also say his condition is stable at the moment.

The news has surfaced after Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi foiled an assassination bid. Mohammad Hossein Rangbaran, a senior official and adviser to the Foreign Ministry, tweeted about it Friday. He wrote, which roughly translates to: “Since it was announced that the Foreign Minister was leaving for Geneva to negotiate with the European Troika, I have had many calls to make sure that the Zionist regime does not target him.”

He continued, “Yes, there certainly was and is such a threat. However, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi considers himself a soldier of the homeland more than the head of the diplomatic service…If it were not for the security measures of the unknown soldiers of the homeland, perhaps a few days ago the great Israeli conspiracy against him would have been carried out in Tehran, which, thank God, failed."

“Let us pray for him and the diplomats of the homeland in this world distant from humanity, so that they may be successful in achieving the rights of Islamic Iran,” he added.

Several news outlets, which the IRGC-controlled Fars News Agency, Mehr news agency, are reporting that Shamkhani is still recovering in the hospital. An official statement is yet to be issued.