Leaked audio recordings published by the British newspaper Daily Telegraph have revealed new details about the strike that targeted the complex of Iran’s Supreme Leader in Tehran on February 28, which led to the killing of the former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior leaders of the Islamic Republic.

According to the account in the recording, the bombing occurred at 9:32 AM Iran time, at the moment when Mojtaba Khamenei had just stepped out into the courtyard ‘to do something’ before heading back toward the building. The information indicates that the missile hit the building exactly as he was ascending the stairs, allowing him to narrowly escape the explosion by moments.

Image of Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. (AFP)

The audio recording referenced in the report is attributed, according to the newspaper, to Mazaher Hosseini, the head of the protocol department in the office of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and was addressed to prominent clerics and leaders in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. The newspaper confirmed that it independently verified the authenticity of the recording.

In the recording, Hussein reveals that Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in the leg during the bombing, while his wife, son, and brother-in-law were killed in the same attack. He also mentions that Mohammad Shirazi, Khamenei's military office chief, was also killed, describing the scene by saying his body "was shattered into pieces."

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Hussein says in the recording: "It was God’s will that Mojtaba went into the courtyard to do something, then return. He was outside, and when he started to ascend the stairs, the missile hit the building. His wife, Mrs. Haddad, was killed on the spot."

These leaks come amidst ambiguity surrounding the health and political situation of Mojtaba Khamenei since he was chosen as Iran’s Supreme Leader, as he has not appeared publicly since the start of the war, only sending a written message broadcast on state television.

U.S. President Donald Trump hinted in previous statements that Mojtaba Khamenei’s injury might be more severe than what Tehran officially announces, amid the uncertainty surrounding his condition since the strike targeted Iranian leadership at the start of the war.