Two months after taking over as Iran’s supreme leader following the death of his father, Mojtaba Khamenei has still not appeared publicly — triggering growing speculation over his health, whereabouts and grip on power during one of the most volatile periods in the country’s recent history.
The secrecy surrounding the 56-year-old cleric has deepened amid reports that he suffered injuries during the February 28 US-Israeli strikes on Tehran that killed former supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several members of his family. While Iranian officials insist Mojtaba Khamenei is “in good health” and continues to direct state affairs, diplomats and intelligence reports suggest extraordinary security measures are now in place because of fears that Israel could attempt to assassinate him.
