Tehran: After weeks of absence following the Iran-Israel conflict, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has re-emerged in public, Iranian state media reported. He appeared at a major religious ceremony commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a deeply significant event in the Shiite Islamic calendar.

In video footage broadcast on Iranian state television, Khamenei was seen dressed in black, greeting a crowd of supporters chanting slogans like “We have blood in our veins for our leader.” The gathering took place at the Imam Khomeini Mosque in central Tehran, according to state reports.

This marks Khamenei’s first public appearance since June 13, when an Israeli airstrike reportedly targeted high-value Iranian assets, prompting speculation about his whereabouts. A pre-recorded video of him was released last week, but doubts about his health and safety persisted.

The emergence comes amid escalating tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States, following a series of mutual military attacks. Israel and the U.S. carried out strikes aimed at halting Iran’s alleged progress toward a nuclear test. Iran retaliated, and the conflict resulted in at least 900 Iranian deaths, according to Tehran, and 28 deaths in Israel.

Khamenei, 85, has ruled Iran since 1989 and is the country's most powerful figure. His reappearance is seen as a symbolic move to stabilize internal sentiment and project resilience in the face of escalating regional pressure.