Intelligence sources indicate that Iran’s recently appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remains unconscious and in grave condition in the city of Qom, creating uncertainty about who holds power in Tehran, according to a diplomatic briefing citing American and Israeli intelligence that was published Tuesday in The Times of London.
Former President Trump has questioned whether the Iranian leader remains alive or capable of governing. Speaking last month, Trump stated, “The supreme leader of Iran is dead or seriously wounded because nobody hears from him. Who would want to lead Iran? Nobody.”
Mojtaba Khamenei has been absent from public view since early March, just weeks after taking over as supreme leader. His current medical crisis stems from wounds he received during a combined American-Israeli military strike on February 28 that marked the beginning of the conflict. That same attack resulted in the deaths of his father Ali Khamenei, along with his mother, spouse, and child.
The intelligence memo reveals that funeral arrangements are being made in Qom for Ali Khamenei, with construction of an expansive mausoleum designed to accommodate “more than one grave,” suggesting additional family members may be interred at the location.
Meanwhile, Iran International, an opposition news source, has reported that a military committee consisting of high-ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders has taken control of governmental decisions in Iran. This council is allegedly blocking Mojtaba Khamenei from receiving updates about the nation’s wartime situation.
Additional friction has emerged between President Masoud Pezeshkian’s government and the Revolutionary Guards. Reports indicate that Pezeshkian sought an audience with Mojtaba Khamenei, but his request received no response and contact was never made.
