The mystery surrounding Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is deepening. This comes as global intelligence agencies, including the CIA and Mossad, are closely monitoring his whereabouts and role in Tehran’s ongoing conflict.Since assuming power on March 9, after the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba has remained largely out of public view. Aside from a written statement marking Nowruz and a recently released video showing him teaching religious studies, he has avoided any in-person or pre-recorded appearances.
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Newroz landmark’s attack on Mojtaba Khamenei baffles the CIA and Mossad? Spies scramble to find a top Iranian leader
In his message on the occasion of Nowruz via Telegram, Mojtaba called for national unity and claimed that Iran had defeated the enemy, saying: “At the present time, and because of the special unity that has arisen among you, our citizens – despite all the differences in religious, intellectual, cultural and political origins – the enemy has been defeated.
The US and Israeli attacks were based on the illusion that killing senior leaders could lead to the overthrow of the government.
“He also described the strikes in Türkiye and Oman as part of the “Zionist enemy’s plan” and stressed Iran’s regional relations: “We share with neighboring countries the doctrine, interests, and confrontation against the forces of global arrogance.”The CIA is reportedly working to determine whether Mujtaba is alive, wounded or fully exercising authority, especially after reports that he may have been injured in the raid that killed his father, according to a report by Axios.
Evidence, such as failed attempts by Iranian officials to schedule personal meetings with him, suggests that Mojtaba is still alive but under tight security measures.A senior US official said: “We have no evidence that he is really giving the orders. It is very strange. We do not believe that the Iranians would choose a dead man to be the supreme leader, but at the same time, we have no evidence that he is in charge.”Concern is exacerbated within US intelligence circles by the recent strikes targeting Iran’s senior leadership, including the assassination of security chief Ali Larijani. US and Israeli officials stressed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is now effectively running the country, filling the power vacuum.CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Defense Intelligence Agency Director General James Adams testified before the House Intelligence Committee that Iran is suffering from a profound crisis of command and control. Israeli officials also warn that senior Iranian leaders are operating like fugitives, moving between safe houses and avoiding digital communications.Raz Zimet, director of the Iran program at the Tel Aviv Institute for National Security Studies, noted that Mojtaba may still be performing his duties, but injuries or security concerns may prevent him from appearing in public or issuing recorded messages.“Under the current exceptional circumstances, one should not expect him to appear in public, and it is possible that his injury does not allow him to even publish a recorded video so as not to reveal to the public the seriousness of his condition,” Zimet said.On Friday, during Nowruz celebrations, American and Israeli intelligence closely monitored signs of public appearances. Instead, Mujtaba posted a written message on Telegram along with a video clip of him teaching religious studies to students. The CIA is reportedly analyzing this material to determine if it is recent and to learn about his current condition.A senior American official described Mojtaba’s absence as a “big red flag.”
The official added: “We expected to see Mojtaba also in some form. He did not take advantage of the opportunity and tradition.”Mojtaba’s continued silence leaves open questions about who is truly in command in Tehran. President Donald Trump’s national security team has repeatedly raised concerns about the authority of the leadership in the Iranian capital.“Their leaders are all gone,” Trump said. “And the next set of leaders are all gone. And the next set of leaders are mostly gone. And now, no one wants to be a leader there anymore. We’re having a tough time. We want to talk to them but there’s no one to talk to. You know, we like it that way.” Israel has also indicated that regime change may be a goal of its ongoing operations.
