India, June 26 -- As Iran reels from the deadliest military confrontation in its recent history, concern is mounting across the country over the prolonged public absence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"People are very worried about the Supreme Leader," said the host of a primetime Iranian state TV show during a Tuesday broadcast, addressing Mehdi Fazaeli, a senior official from Khamenei's office, reported the New York Times. The host added that viewers had sent in a flood of messages asking about the leader's well-being.

But Fazaeli did not provide a clear update. Instead, he said, "We should all be praying. The people who are responsible for protecting the Supreme Leader are doing their job well. God willing, our people can ...