Mojtaba Khamenei Runs Iran from His Bed as Photos Vanish and the Supreme Leader Makes a “Voice-Only” Appearance

High-level sources said Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, remains under medical care as he recovers from severe facial and leg injuries sustained in the airstrike that killed his father at the start of the latest US-Israeli-Iranian war.A Reuters report, citing three people close to Mojtaba Khamenei’s inner circle, said the younger Khamenei’s face was disfigured in the attack on former leader Ali Khamenei’s compound in the heart of Tehran, and that he suffered serious injuries to one or both legs, preventing him from appearing in public since his appointment.Khamenei the “disabled” attends meetings of senior officials by “voice call” only!The British agency’s report said the 56-year-old leader continues to run sensitive state affairs from his residence, where he retains sharp mental faculties that allow him to take part in meetings with senior officials, but only by “voice call.”Khamenei’s whereabouts, health and ability to govern remain largely unknown to the public, as no photos, video or audio recordings of him have been published since he was appointed to succeed his father as Supreme Leader.The sources added that Khamenei is directly involved in making fateful decisions related to the war, as well as overseeing the ongoing negotiations with the United States in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, which are described as one of the most dangerous political phases Iran has faced in decades.Officials familiar with US intelligence assessments also indicated that the nature of the injuries may be more serious than has been reported, believing Khamenei lost one leg as a result of the bombardment.Despite the secrecy, Iran’s mission to the United Nations and official offices in Tehran have issued no comment clarifying the extent of the injuries, while state television has referred to him only as “the disabled,” a term usually used for those severely wounded in battle, further fueling speculation about his health.Is Mojtaba Khamenei struggling to assert his authority?For his part, Middle East Institute researcher Alex Vatanka said that regardless of the severity of Khamenei’s physical injuries, the inexperienced new leader may struggle to impose the broad authority his father once held.Vatanka added that Mojtaba will be one voice among several, but not the only decisive one, and that he will have to prove himself as a dominant leader amid the clear rise in the influence of the Revolutionary Guard, which has come to play a central role in strategic decisions.Although he is seen as likely to continue his father’s hard-line approach because of his ties to the Revolutionary Guard, his ideological outlook remains largely unclear.Mojtaba Khamenei’s first contact with Iranians as Supreme Leader came on March 12 in a written statement in which he called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain closed and warned regional countries against hosting US bases.Since then, the new leader has issued brief written statements, while other senior officials have delivered public policy positions, according to Reuters.The absence of any photos or recordings of the leader since his appointment on March 8 has stirred unease and debate on the Iranian street, with citizens تداولing questions on social media about who is really running the country behind the scenes, including a widely shared image of an empty chair under a light with the words: “Where is Mojtaba?”Even so, one person close to the ruling circles expected official photos of Khamenei to be released in the coming weeks, and said he may appear in public once his health and the surrounding security conditions allow it.

• How the Houthis Are Choking Yemen’s Peace Efforts with a Broad Escalation on the Ground
• Economy in the Wind: How Yemenis Are Paying the Price of Disrupted Shipping Routes
• Houthi Summer Centers: Factories for Indoctrination and Raising a “Scream” Generation
• The “Coalition of Necessity”: What Costa Rica’s Terrorism Designation of the Houthis Signifies
• Mojtaba Khamenei Runs Iran from His Bed as Photos Vanish and the Supreme Leader Makes a “Voice-Only” Appearance