Iran Continues Attacks on Neighbors and Says They Are 'Not Targets'; Mojtaba Khamenei's Absence Fuels Speculation

TEHRAN, July 16: Iran's army said on Thursday it has no conflict with neighboring countries and warned that continued US military attacks could trigger a broader regional conflict, insisting that much of Tehran's military capability has yet to be deployed.

Army spokesman Amir Akraminia said Iran remains committed to cooperation and "brotherly relations" with neighboring and other Muslim countries, stressing that Tehran's dispute is not with countries in the region.

"We have no conflict with neighboring countries," Akraminia said, adding that nations outside the region should engage with Iran based on mutual respect.

He warned that if US attacks continue, Iran's response would "go beyond the enemy's expectations" and could open new fronts in the conflict.

Akraminia also said a "significant part" of Iran's military capabilities remains unused, adding that the armed forces would spare no effort in protecting the country's security, interests and national dignity.

Meanwhile, uncertainty continues to surround Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since the Feb. 28 joint US-Israeli airstrike that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

His absence from the state funeral ceremonies held across Iran and Iraq, where three of his brothers attended public prayers in Tehran, has fueled speculation over his health, whereabouts and the extent of his control over the country's leadership.

On July 11, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a photograph it said showed Mojtaba Khamenei, presenting it as evidence that he remains active. However, the image has failed to end speculation, with some observers questioning its authenticity and noting that a single photograph does not replace a public appearance.

Attention is now focused on whether Mojtaba Khamenei will deliver a scheduled address at a memorial event in Tehran on July 23, which would mark his first public appearance since assuming the leadership.

Separately, US President Donald Trump, in an interview broadcast on Fox News, claimed that Iran's new supreme leader is "90% gone," without elaborating or providing evidence for the assertion. Iranian authorities have not publicly responded to the remark.