Ayatollah Khamenei Makes First Public Appearance Since Iran-Israel War Amidst Internet Disruptions

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, made his first public appearance today, Saturday, July 6, 2025, since the conclusion of the 12-day war with Israel. His emergence from what had been perceived as seclusion coincided with widespread reports of a major internet disruption across Iran.

Khamenei attended a mourning ceremony in Tehran on the eve of Ashoura, an important Shiite commemoration. State television showed him acknowledging a chanting crowd, marking his return to public view after a period of absence during the recent conflict. His re-emergence follows a period where his whereabouts were a subject of speculation, with some suggesting he had been in seclusion.

The 12-day conflict saw significant escalation, including U.S. involvement with bombings of Iranian nuclear sites and subsequent warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump to Khamenei. Iran reported over 900 casualties and significant damage to its nuclear facilities, which it has since restricted access to for UN inspectors. The conflict also saw Iran launch over 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, resulting in 28 fatalities.

Adding to the day’s events, NetBlocks, a global internet monitor, confirmed a “major disruption to internet connectivity” in Iran late Saturday. This outage, which lasted approximately two hours, corroborates numerous user reports and raises concerns, coming just weeks after authorities had previously shut down telecommunications during the war.

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