TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's supreme leader underwent prostate surgery on Monday at a government hospital in Tehran, state media said in a rare report on the state of health of the country's top cleric. The 75-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters in Iran and has been the country's top leader since 1989, was reported to be recovering. The official IRNA news agency said the operation, which was described as "routine," was successful. There were no immediate details on what had prompted the surgery or the underlying medical condition.
Iranian state TV said that Khamenei told the station just ahead of the surgery that there was "no room for concern" and that it was a routine operation. The TV aired a brief footage of Khamenei just ahead of the surgery in which he asked people to pray for him. "There is no room for concern, but this does not mean that they -- the people -- do not need to pray," Khamenei said.
In-Depth
- Israel Is 'Rabid Dog' Attacking Innocents, Iran's Leader Says
- Iran's Supreme Leader Rejects U.S. Moves in Iraq