The secret beneath the robe: How the 1981 bombing paralysed Ali Khamenei’s right hand

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in his office on Saturday (February 28) during a coordinated military strike conducted by the United States and Israel, in what is being described as one of the most consequential escalations in the long-running hostility between Tehran and its rivals. Iran’s state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) announced his death early on Sunday (March 1), declaring that the Supreme Leader had “reached martyrdom.” Khamenei, who held Iran’s highest authority for over three decades, had previously survived a dramatic assassination attempt years before assuming the role of Supreme Leader. The attack left him with lifelong physical damage that became closely associated with his public persona.

On June 27, 1981, while serving as president during the Iran-Iraq War, Khamenei visited a mosque shortly after returning from the war front. After leading prayers and interacting with attendees, a man approached and placed a tape recorder on the desk in front of him. Witnesses described the individual as a young man with curly hair, a beard and a chequered coat. Roughly a minute after being set down, the device emitted a sharp whistling sound before detonating.

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Authorities later discovered a note hidden inside the recorder saying: “A gift of Furqan Group to the Islamic Republic.” The Furqan Group was known at the time for its opposition to Iran’s clerical establishment. The explosion left Khamenei severely wounded, causing extensive injuries to his right arm, vocal cords and lungs. Though he survived after months of medical care, his right arm was permanently paralysed.

Undeterred, he pressed on with his political career. Reflecting his resilience, he once remarked that he did not require his hand as long as his mind and voice remained intact. He adapted by learning to write with his left hand and steadily consolidated influence within Iran’s political and religious hierarchy. In 1989, he rose to the position of Supreme Leader and went on to dominate Iran’s domestic and foreign policy for 35 years, becoming one of the most powerful and enduring figures in the country’s modern history.

Despite his authority, much about his private life remained shielded from public view. He is survived by his wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, and their six children. While reports suggest some extended family members reside abroad, his immediate household has largely stayed in Iran. According to Axios, the 86-year-old cleric ranked among the world’s longest-serving rulers. His death is likely to trigger uncertainty within Iran’s leadership structure and intensify pressure on the ruling establishment as tensions with Washington and Tel Aviv persist.

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