How the Absence of Iran’s New Supreme Leader Is Becoming a Liability for Tehran
Senior sources say Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since his March 8 appointment because of injuries and security concerns.
- Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remains out of public view following his appointment in late February, fueling uncertainty. His complete absence from his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral on Thursday left citizens guessing about the Islamic Republic's stability.
- Senior sources indicate the leader suffered facial disfigurement and other injuries during the strike that killed his father. While he reportedly continues making decisions, his physical condition prevents public appearances, leaving the Revolutionary Guards in control.
- More than 20 people contacted by Reuters over recent weeks expressed concern about the leadership vacuum. "There is a need for the Supreme Leader to be seen," said Taghi, 47, a shop owner in Isfahan.
- Prayers conducted by the late leader's sons at Iran's holiest shrine on Thursday underscored the ruling family's central role. Ali Khomeini, a grandson of the revolution's founder, will speak on Mojtaba's behalf at a mourning ceremony on Friday.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday that the new leader is wounded and the country's administration is "on the run." Experts warn this lack of visibility is not sustainable for the theocratic state's long-term stability.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Iran has before it a devastated economy, a restless population and the constant threat of the return of war. Still, there is an absence at the top of the government, with Iranians waiting to see and hear their supreme leader. Ayatola Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed to the post in March, days after the US and Israel attacks killed his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, but to this day he was not seen in public, raising questions about his healt…
The new supreme leader has never been seen in public since his appointment at the end of February; this time there was not even a message for the funerals
Iran organized an extravagant funeral procession, which lasted a week, to mourn the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed at the beginning of the war with the United States and Israel. Public events organized by the state attracted hundreds of thousands of people throughout the Islamic Republic. But a man stood out by his absence: Mojtaba Khamenei.
Mojtaba Khamenei did not participate in any celebration of his father's funeral, doubting his ability to decide between the supporters of negotiations with the United States and the ultra-conservatives who oppose it.
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