New Delhi, March 17 -- According to the leaked audio of Mazaher Hosseini, the former head of protocol in Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's office, Iran's newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei had been with family inside the leadership compound on the morning of February 28 when the US-Israeli strike began.

Just before powerful Blue Sparrow ballistic missiles hit the complex around 9 am (local time), he stepped outside saying he was going out "to do something." Moments later, the missiles struck, devastating the bunker‑like residence where senior officials were gathered.

Because he had left the building seconds earlier, he narrowly avoided being killed, though his wife and son were among those who died in the attack. H...