Continued Absence of Mojtaba Sparks Questions

After six months of airstrikes that ignited war and led to Mojtaba Khamenei assuming the Iranian Supreme Leadership position, the injured son remains entirely absent from view, leaving a void at the heart of national leadership.

Questions about his health and role are mounting as Iran faces pivotal decisions linked to a war that has set fire to the Middle East and inflicted further damage on the country’s already fragile economy.

Iranian officials and high-level sources inside the country say Khamenei still holds the reins and manages state affairs behind the scenes for security reasons while recovering from severe injuries that have altered his appearance. Reuters could not independently verify the account regarding Khamenei’s health status and role in decision-making.

According to sources, Khamenei has delegated broad authority in daily administration to a group of senior officials. Yet the absence of any photo, video, or even audio message from him since his selection just one week after the war began fuels skepticism among Iranians about his position within the Islamic Republic, where the Supreme Leader is expected to have the final word on state matters.

This week, U.S. President Donald Trump added to the debate over Khamenei’s fate, stating he does not believe the Iranian Supreme Leader is dead but adding that he was severely injured, with wounds affecting the left side of his body, his arm, and his leg.

Trump added that if Khamenei had died, Iranian authorities would be presenting a "very convincing case," referring to continued references by officials to seeking his final approval on decisions.

Alex Vatanka of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said: "The question is no longer whether Mojtaba is alive, but whether Iran still has a Supreme Leader actually performing his duties."

Khamenei’s messages to Iranians have been limited to a small number of written statements read by announcers on news broadcasts. He has also been absent from last month’s mourning ceremonies for his father.

No Image or Voice

Khamenei has not appeared publicly since being chosen Supreme Leader on March 8, and Iranian authorities have not released any recent photos, audio, or video recordings that can be verified in terms of timing since then.

This week, the Revolutionary Guard-affiliated Fars News Agency denied that a circulating video showing Khamenei alongside clerics was filmed after he assumed office, stating the clip dates back to an earlier period.

Senior officials and other insiders attribute his absence to fears of assassination, saying he holds frequent meetings with top leaders, receives all major reports, and makes final decisions on key issues.

On August 10, President Masoud Pezeshkian said he held a seven-hour meeting with Khamenei. But doubts have begun to creep even into the ranks of the most staunch supporters of the Islamic Republic. While Khamenei’s office announced the same day that he met with Pezeshkian to discuss developments in the war, economic and living conditions, and the country’s future, it did not publish any photo or recording of the meeting.

Earlier that week, Pezeshkian said communication with Khamenei was "extremely difficult" at present, though he noted they held "productive" meetings.

One Basij member from Qom, the city home to the religious and conservative power base in Iran, said: "We need to hear our leader’s voice or see any sign that he is still leading the country and in control—only then will we feel more confident."

Another Basij member, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic, said he believes Khamenei still makes major decisions but sees the absence of even a single photo as weakening morale and harming Iran’s interests.

Among Iranians opposed to the ruling regime or demanding comprehensive reforms, skepticism is even clearer. Shahriar, a reformist-supporting businessman in Tehran, also asked to remain anonymous, said: "How can we know Mojtaba hasn’t been killed?"

He added: "It’s illogical that there isn’t even a single piece of evidence proving he’s still alive, let alone proof of his involvement in decision-making."

Revolutionary Guard at the Core of Power Structure

Iran has endured six months of war against its strongest adversary and emerged exhausted but still standing. Its political system has maintained cohesion, while its military retains the ability to disrupt global energy supplies.

The theocratic ruling institution has demonstrated its capacity to absorb the absence of the Supreme Leader and senior military commanders without collapsing, preserving a loyal political and military leadership hierarchy aligned with its ideology.

Yet Iran’s economy is suffering under the cost of war and the ongoing sanctions targeting oil exports, leading to the collapse of the rial and reigniting fears of mass protests like those violently suppressed by authorities in January, when thousands were killed.

At the same time, the ruling establishment has reorganized around a clear priority: preserving the state, restoring deterrence capability, and preventing economic fallout from destabilizing the country.

Sources say the Revolutionary Guard, which has long enjoyed extensive influence, has increased its power since the war began and continues to occupy a central role in strategic thinking within a restructured governance system centered on the Supreme National Security Council.

This elite group includes senior Revolutionary Guard commanders alongside prominent political figures, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Several high-level sources contacted by Reuters inside Iran said Khamenei is indeed holding meetings with these individuals, fully participating in deliberations, and having the final say on all major issues.

A senior Iranian official said only a limited number of officials still have direct personal contact with Khamenei, and withholding details about him aims to prevent information leaks that could allow the United States to target him.

In July, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he had not met Khamenei face-to-face since taking office, while Pezeshkian and Army Chief Ali Abdollahi were among a small group of officials whose meetings with him were announced—without any photos or recordings documenting those encounters.

A person close to Khamenei’s inner circle said his health has shown significant improvement, confirming he remains mentally sharp and actively involved in decision-making.

A second official said: "Despite all pressures, services to the people continue uninterrupted. Our foreign policy is unified, and our decisions consistent. All this shows the Supreme Leader is still in control."

Even before the war, Khamenei preferred working behind the scenes, having served as one of his father’s most prominent aides while staying away from the spotlight.

According to high-level sources, the injuries he sustained in the early hours of February 28, when Israel and the United States launched airstrikes that killed his father, caused visible disfigurement to his face.

But now, having assumed a position that grants its holder great stature in the theocratic system and amid the country’s most serious crisis since the 1979 revolution, such explanations seem unconvincing to many.

Vatanka said: "Any genuine agreement with Washington requires clear, unambiguous approval from Mojtaba, as does any decision to continue a long and costly conflict with the United States."

He added: "His prolonged absence has created a dangerous situation in which every competing faction can claim to know what the Supreme Leader truly wants."