Still alive - Khamenei
Photo: AFP
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's office released a picture of the leader from an official meeting he held Saturday with Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade.
The picture is the first to be published since rumors about the Ayatollah sinking into a coma surfaced. Earlier this week, a website with close ties to the Iranian government claimed the rumors stemmed from western propaganda aimed at confusing the Iranian public and destabilizing the country
According to earlier reports, the 70-year-old Khamenei collapsed Monday and was rushed to a private clinic, where only his son was allowed to stay with him. According to the reports, Khamenei's condition was reportedly characterized by his close associates as "in the hands of God."
However, officials in Iran were quick to dismiss the rumors the day they were published and insisted the supreme leader is well.