Iranian State TV Host Claims Khamenei Will Return Alongside Imam Mahdi

An Iranian state television (IRIB) host claimed on air that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will appear alongside Imam Zaman — the Hidden Imam (Mahdi) revered in Shia Islam as a messianic figure expected to return at the end of times. The statement was reported by the military news channel "Iran and World Military News" amid the ongoing conflict. The religious framing comes days after Israel and the US officially confirmed Khamenei's death in the opening strikes of Operation Epic Fury.