Amid continuing speculation about the whereabouts of Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, during the ongoing war with the United States, a new report has claimed that the 56-year-old is unconscious and undergoing treatment for a “severe” medical condition. The Times, citing US-Israeli intelligence assessments, reported that Khamenei is unable to govern the country.
Where is Mojtaba Khamenei?
The report said that in the Iranian city of Qom. This contradicts earlier assessments that Khamenei could have been moved out of Iran, to Russia for treatment after he was injured in the US-Israeli strike on Tehran on 28 February, which killed his father, and several other family members.
According to the report, Khamenei is in a “severe” condition and is unable to participate in governance or decision-making.
“Mojtaba Khamenei is being treated in Qom in a severe condition, unable to be involved in any decision-making by the regime,” the diplomatic memo cited by The Times said.
Qom is one of the holiest cities in Shia Islam, and it was initially considered the final resting place of Ali Khamenei after he was assassinated by the US and Israel on the opening day of the ongoing war.
Not seen in public since 28 February
Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since the airstrikes killed his father, was announced as the new Supreme Leader of Iran on March 8.
Many, including US President Donald Trump and , had claimed that Khamenei was also killed or seriously injured in the airstrikes on 28 February.
Last week, Russia’s ambassador to Tehran, Alexey Dedov, rejected reports that Mojtaba Khamenei had been moved to Moscow and said the Supreme Leader was still in Iran.
Mojtaba Khamenei issued several statements
Ever since his name was announced as the new Supreme Leader, Iranian authorities have released only written statements attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, along with a handful of purported videos and images of him, which have been flagged as AI-generated.
The latest statement attributed to him was published on Monday, in which he expressed condolences over the killing of the Revolutionary Guard’s intelligence chief.
In a written social media post, Khamenei said Maj Gen Majid Khademi had joined a “steadfast line of warriors and fighters” who were sacrificing their lives. Israeli strikes have killed dozens of top Iranian leaders, including Khamenei’s father.
Emphasising the ideological commitment of Iran’s armed forces, Khamenei stated, “The unbroken ranks of the combatants and fighters on the path of truth in Islamic Iran, along with the self-sacrificing Armed Forces, form such a towering, deeply rooted front that terrorism and crime cannot even crack their resolve for jihadi ideals.”
Who is running Iran?
As uncertainty persists about Mojtaba Khamenei’s whereabouts, some have also speculated that he is not involved in the decisions being taken about the ongoing conflict. Many have argued that the powerful (IRGC), which was established by the first Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1979 as the guardians of the Iranian Revolution, was the real power running Tehran.
- Mojtaba Khamenei’s health raises questions about the stability of Iran’s leadership.
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may hold more power than the Supreme Leader in current decision-making.
- Speculation about Khamenei’s condition reflects broader geopolitical tensions between Iran and the US.
