Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei successfully underwent prostate surgery, official media announced Monday in an unprecedented public statement on his health, which has long been subject to speculation. The 75-year-old cleric, who has ruled since the death in 1989 of the Islamic republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, had a routine operation, according to IRNA, Iran's official news agency.
"There is nothing to worry about," the supreme leader said in a brief interview recorded before he entered hospital and aired on state television after his treatment was made known. "This does not mean that prayers are not welcome... but it is a normal operation," he added.