Dhaka, July 6 -- Iran' s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday made his first public appearance since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran began, attending a mourning ceremony on the eve of Ashoura.

State television broadcast footage on Saturday showing Khamenei greeting worshippers at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Mosque during a ceremony held ahead of Ashura, the significant Shia religious observance.

Khamenei's last appearance had been via pre-recorded speeches aired during the Iran-Israel conflict, which began on June 13 and saw the killing of several senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists.

The war began after Israel launched a surprise assault targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites. In retaliation, ...