Was Ali Khamenei battling cancer? Iran Supreme Leader fought THESE serious illnesses over the last 25 years; read his untold health struggles

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed in a coordinated U.S. Israel airstrike on Iranian territory, ending his nearly four decades as Iran's most powerful leader. The leader is now dead, but what do we know about his health before? Was he suffering from cancer? Read on to find out!

New Delhi: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of massive US and Israeli air strikes on Iran. The death of the 86-year-old ruler of the past three decades was later confirmed on Iranian state TV. Soon after the news of the death broke, members of the Shia community staged protests in several parts of the world, including India. According to reports, Israel's intelligence agency Mossad had obtained details about the Supreme Leader's confidential meetings that helped the US and Israel fix their target. Mossad operatives reportedly learned that Iran's senior leadership was scheduled to attend a meeting inside the presidential palace at 9 am local time on Saturday.

Who Planned Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Killing?

The decision to kill Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Iran-backed leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah was taken in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks, when Israel decided to eliminate anyone involved in planning or assisting the devastating 2023 assault. According to USA TODAY, the decision to kill Khamenei was taken as part of an order by Netanyahu to target all those Israel heads who were behind the fatal October 7 attack and to prevent future attacks.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Killed But Was He Suffering From Cancer?

Born in the year 1939, in the city of Mashhad, in north-eastern Iran, Ali Khamenei was not only the supreme leader of Iran, he was also the one who headed the "axis of resistance". He passed away on February 28, 2026, at the age of 86. However, his death also opened the door to discuss the tons of health issues that he was suffering before he was killed in the air strike. Reports suggest prior to his death, he had a long history of health issues, including a 2014 prostate cancer surgery, 2022 surgery for a bowel obstruction, and other reported serious illnesses.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Underwent Prostate Surgery in 2014

The most solid health information available is that Khamenei underwent prostate surgery in September 2014. The Iranian government publicly acknowledged this, describing it as a routine medical procedure and stating that he was recovering normally afterward.

Eventhough, there are no evidence that supports that Ali Khamenei was suffering from cancer, experts decodes that a person undergoes prostate surgery only when he is being diagnosed with prostate cancer. The Centre For Diseases And Control, explains - "Prostate surgery (prostatectomy) is primarily performed to treat prostate cancer (by removing cancerous tissue) or to relieve severe urinary symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, BPH) when medication fails. Key reasons include inability to empty the bladder, frequent infections, chronic urinary retention, or bladder stones."

While an official explanation was never recorded to support the medical evidences about Khamenei's cancer diagnosis, Western intelligence sources at the time suggested that the supreme leader of Iran had been living with prostate cancer and had a limited life expectancy.

Ali Khamenei's Health Status Over The Years

After undergoing prostate surgery in 2014, the leader reportedly underwent another major surgery for a bowel obstruction. At this time, Khamenei even canceled several public engagements after his health (confirmed by his men's) deteriorated.

Who Was Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, was killed in a large-scale joint air attack on the country by the US and Israel. He came into the ultimate power in the year 1989, at a time when he was already the country's president. Iran's 88-strong assembly of experts senior Shia clerics chose him to succeed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, overthrower of the Shah in 1979 and founder of the Islamic Republic, as supreme leader of Iran.

Since then, Khamenei had absolute power and the final say in Iran's future, whether in regard to its controversial nuclear programme or detente with the west. The supreme leader was not only commander-in-chief of the Iranian armed forces, which includes the regular artesh (army) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), but he was the one who headed the "axis of resistance".

The axis of resistance is an anti-western and anti-Israel alliance that comprises of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, Shia militias in Iraq, the Houthi rebels eventually occupying western Yemen, and the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria.

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