Is Iran's President Pezeshkian safe? Reports emerge amidst US-Israeli attacks

Iran-US war: Tensions across the Middle East escalated dramatically after coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel targeted sites across Iran on Saturday. As explosions were reported in several cities, speculation quickly spread about the safety of Iran’s leadership. Iranian state media moved quickly to address those rumors.

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Is Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian safe after the attack?

Iranian officials say President Masoud Pezeshkian remains unharmed following large-scale military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel on Saturday, attacks that triggered explosions across several Iranian cities and rapidly intensified tensions across the Middle East.


Iran’s state news agency reported that the president was in good condition despite speculation that he may have been among potential targets. According to reports citing sources close to the presidency, Pezeshkian was not injured, as per several reports from The Times of Israel, Al Arabiya English and DPA International.

“President Masoud Pezeshkian is safe and sound and has no problems,” the IRNA news agency reported, alongside the Mehr and ISNA agencies.

DPA International reported that the situation heavily disrupted communication within the country.

Rumors began circulating after early reports suggested that the Iranian leadership could have been among those targeted during the strikes. Iranian state outlets later pushed back against those claims.

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The Tasnim news agency, citing a source close to the presidency, stated that the Iranian leader remained in “full health.”

While government officials have not issued broader public statements about the attacks themselves, state media emphasized that the president had not been harmed.

The uncertainty was fueled in part by limited information emerging from inside Iran. Internet access across the country was reported to be severely restricted, making communication difficult.

Which Iranian cities reported explosions?

Multiple explosions were reported across Iran as the strikes unfolded. Blasts were heard near the capital Tehran, but they were not limited to the capital. Reports also described explosions in the cities of Qom, Lorestan, Kermanshah, Karaj and Tabriz.

Iranian state media additionally reported explosions on the outskirts of Isfahan, an area of particular strategic importance. A major nuclear facility is located southeast of the city and had previously been targeted by the United States last year.

At the same time, media reports suggested that widespread cyberattacks were carried out against Iranian infrastructure alongside the military operations.

Due to restricted communications inside the country, information about the damage and the precise targets remained limited.

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How did Iran react to the escalating conflict?

The military action marked a major escalation in the long-running confrontation surrounding Iran’s nuclear dispute with Western powers.

Israel launched what it described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran, while the United States simultaneously began its own operations.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the start of the campaign in a message posted online.

“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” Trump said in a video shared on social media, reported Al Arabiya English.

In the same address, he made a direct appeal to the Iranian population, “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”

Early reports suggested that some of the initial strikes focused on the compound housing Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in central Tehran, although it was not immediately clear whether he was present at the time, as per a report by The AP.

The confrontation quickly spread beyond Iran’s borders. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard announced it had launched a “first wave” of drones and missiles targeting Israel in response.

Elsewhere in the region, Bahrain reported that a missile strike targeted the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Witnesses also reported sirens and explosions in Kuwait, which hosts U.S. Army Central. Explosions were also heard in Qatar, as per a report by The AP.

Several countries reacted by closing their airspace, including Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. Sirens were reported in Jordan as the conflict widened.

According to state media in the UAE, shrapnel from one of the attacks killed one person in the capital, marking the first reported fatality linked to Iran’s counterstrike.

Meanwhile, officials linked to the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen indicated they planned to resume attacks on Red Sea shipping routes and Israel.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement signaling a firm response to the military assault.

“The time has come to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military assault,” the ministry said in a message posted on X.

As the strikes and counterstrikes continued, the situation pushed the Middle East deeper into a rapidly escalating military confrontation.

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FAQs

Is Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian safe after the strikes?
Yes. Iranian state news agencies reported that he is “safe and sound” and in full health.

Which areas in Iran reported explosions?
Blasts were heard near Tehran as well as in Qom, Lorestan, Kermanshah, Karaj, Tabriz and the outskirts of Isfahan.