A first: Ayatollah Khamenei misses air force swearing-in ceremony, raising questions regarding his health

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cancels planned appearance at Iranian Air Force ceremony, marking the first time since taking power he has failed to appear and raising questions regarding his medical condition.

By World Israel News Staff

Iran’s supreme leader was noticeably absent from an annual Iranian Air Force ceremony on Sunday, after canceling his planned appearance at the last minute.

Ever since he came to power in 1989, following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has attended the annual swearing-in ceremony of air force commanders every February.

Khamenei had been slated to address the gathering this year but dropped out shortly before the event was held, sending Hossein Khomeini, the grandson of Iran’s first supreme leader, in his stead.

No explanation was given for the 86-year-old leader’s absence.

In lieu of his speech at the swearing-in ceremony, Khamenei released a video message on Monday afternoon calling on Iranians to turn out on Wednesday at pro-regime events marking the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the shah in 1979.

“National power has less to do with missiles and aircraft than with the will of nations and their resilience. You showed resilience, and you showed your will. You must show it again in other moments as well,” Khamenei said in the video.

“The 22nd of Bahman rallies commemorating the victory anniversary of the Islamic Revolution are unparalleled in the world. We do not know of any nation that commemorates its independence day or national day in this manner each year after the passage of so many years and with such massive crowds.”

Khamenei’s absence on Sunday comes amid ongoing tensions between Iran and the US, with Iranian officials signaling their refusal over the weekend to accept American demands to halt uranium enrichment.

While the two sides held direct talks in Oman on Friday – the first negotiations since the US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear program last June – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized afterward that Tehran will never agree to give up its uranium enrichment program.