Iran supreme leader in first public appearance since Israel war

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public appearance since Iran’s recent 12‑day war with Israel, attending a ceremony at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosque ahead of the Shia festival of Ashura. The conflict began on 13 June with an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear and military sites, leading to Iranian retaliatory strikes. The US also joined, hitting Iran’s nuclear facilities on 22 June. Over 900 people were killed in the fighting. Khamenei had previously only appeared in pre‑recorded messages, amid speculation he was in hiding, the BBC has reported. His return was widely covered on Iranian state media, which encouraged public celebration.