Iran supreme leader’s first purported message leaves a major question unanswered | CNN

Four days after his appointment as Iran’s new supreme leader, the world finally got a glimpse of Mojtaba Khamenei’s worldview. But Khamenei – now elevated to the rank of Ayatollah and dubbed the “exalted leader” of the Islamic Revolution by his acolytes – didn’t appear on video or release an audio statement. Instead, he purportedly issued a lengthy written message which was then read out on state television, outlining his views on the trajectory of the war, praising Iran’s armed forces and demanding reparations from those who have attacked his country. The message was quickly disseminated through a new Telegram channel created by his office. It was laden with coded symbolism meant to appeal to his base and underlined with the release of an image of three handwriting samples — one from the first Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, one from the slain Ali Khamenei, and one from the son himself. The message was clear: a new era was beginning, and its leader was positioning himself as the rightful heir to those who came before him. According to the statement, Khamenei learned of his appointment from state television, suggesting he too was caught by surprise. He also used