The New York Times Has Not Reported Khamenei's Terminal Cancer

Misbar investigated the viral claim and found it to be fake.

The New York Times has not reported this news, and no credible sources confirm that Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei has terminal cancer.

The New York Times Has Not Confirmed Khamenei's Terminal Cancer

Misbar’s investigative team reviewed the latest articles from The New York Times regarding Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei and found no evidence supporting the claim that the outlet reported he has terminal cancer.

Social media trolls have distorted information from two recent New York Times articles discussing the challenges Iran and Khamenei currently face.

A guest opinion piece released on October 24, 2024, mentions Khamenei has cancer but does not state it is terminal. The article primarily discusses who might succeed Khamenei.

Another analytical report from The New York Times, published on October 26, 2024, mentions that Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei is “seriously ill” but does not describe his condition as “terminal” cancer.

Who Is Iran's Supreme Leader, Khamenei?

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holds the ultimate authority over all significant policies, serves as the commander in chief of the armed forces, and controls the Revolutionary Guard.

Born in 1939 into a clerical family in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city, Khamenei received a religious education before engaging in political activities. He went into exile in the 1960s, only returning after the Shah's overthrow. 

Following the assassination of key political figures and surviving an assassination attempt himself, he was elected president of Iran. After Khomeini died in 1989, Khamenei succeeded him as Supreme Leader.

Despite his considerable power, Khamenei faces domestic challenges and is a key player in the ongoing Middle Eastern crisis.

The death of Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's president, in a helicopter crash in May 2024, posed significant challenges for him. Raisi had been seen as the likely successor to the 85-year-old Khamenei, and his death increased the likelihood that Khamenei's son would become the next leader.

Khamenei: Israeli Attack Should Not Be 'Exaggerated or Downplayed'

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has responded cautiously to recent Israeli strikes on the country, stating that the attacks should neither be "exaggerated nor downplayed," while refraining from committing to immediate retaliation.

President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated that Iran would provide "an appropriate response" to the assault, which resulted in the deaths of at least four soldiers, emphasizing that Tehran does not seek war.

Israel confirmed it targeted military sites across various regions of Iran on Saturday, claiming the action was a response to Iranian attacks, including a barrage of nearly 200 ballistic missiles fired at Israel on October 1.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel had significantly crippled Iran's air defense and missile production capabilities, asserting that the strikes had "severely damaged Iran’s defense capability and its ability to produce missiles."

Official Iranian sources have publicly downplayed the impact of the attack, claiming that most missiles were intercepted and that those that did get through caused only limited damage to air defense systems.

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