• There have been reports of his ill-health.
• Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei made his first public appearance.
• He was a a part of mourning ceremony that commemorated the Shia holy holiday of Arbaeen.

After receiving reports of ill health throughout the previous week, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei made his first public appearance on Saturday.

Khamenei took part in a mourning ceremony to commemorate the Shia holy holiday of Arbaeen while dressed in all-black and sporting a mask, as he has done since the COVID-19 outbreak broke out.

The yearly event, which includes the presence of the supreme leader and student organization members, has been postponed the past two years due to a coronavirus outbreak.

Images from Khamenei’s website showed him walking, waving to the throng, and sitting to watch the funeral ritual.

His presence follows many unverified claims that the 83-year-old leader had become “gravely ill.”

Khamenei’s health reportedly declined last week when he started having excruciating stomach pains, which forced him to have surgery for a bowel obstruction, according to a report published late on Friday by The New York Times, which cited four unnamed individuals.

It further stated that he had cancelled all public engagements because he was too weak to even sit up.

Khamenei’s health is rarely discussed by the Iranian government or state media, and they were mute about the reports as well.

The only item that was reported by the local media was a denial by Khamenei that he had cancelled a meeting with the Assembly of Experts earlier this month and a claim that he had taken part in an event last week with athletes and sports legends.

A few sportsmen confirmed the event on social media, but no pictures or video of the rumored meeting were released.

Khamenei’s health concerns and erroneous reports of his demise have frequently made headlines in recent years.

Since taking office as Iran’s supreme leader in 1989, Khamenei has successfully had prostate cancer surgery.

“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

Images reportedly of Khamenei attending a mourning ceremony today. They appear not/not to be stock photos. https://www.bolnews.com/world/2022/09/irans-khamenei-makes-an-appearance-in-public/amp/

— Henry Rome (@hrome2) September 17, 2022

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