Iran's supreme leader is said to be "in extremely critical condition"

Mojtaba Khamenei, it is worth remembering, has not been seen since the United States attack on the supreme leader's compound and the assassination of his father, the former leader of Iran Ali Khamenei, and other family members, on February 28.

According to IranWire, which cites two sources close to the government of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, rumors are circulating “at the highest levels of the regime” that Mojtaba Khamenei is “in an extremely critical condition” and that “he could die at any moment”.

A source close to Pezeshkian's office, who said that no member of the government has met with the supreme leader so far, considered Khamenei's health condition to be "unstable."

“It would not surprise us if we soon receive news of his martyrdom,” he said.

Since assuming leadership of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared in public and has communicated since his appointment only through statements attributed to him.

His absence from his father's funeral in July also raised questions about his health and even a possible murder.

It is worth remembering that Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian revealed last Thursday that communication with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “very difficult at the moment”.

“Communication with him is very difficult at the moment, but his presence is, without a doubt, a great asset for us, allowing us to continue,” Pezeshkian highlighted in a televised speech, referring to Ali Khamenei’s son and successor.

Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen to succeed his father, Ali Khamenei, as Iran's supreme leader in March.

Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, to end the war, but hostilities resumed in early July. The situation led Tehran to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz and Washington to reestablish the naval blockade on the Iranian coast.

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?

Born in Mashhad, 10 years before the Islamic Revolution (1979), Mojtaba Khamenei was already considered a strong candidate for the highest position of power in the conservative Shiite regime in Tehran, despite never having held government positions. He is described as an expert behind the scenes of power.

Khamenei participated in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, as part of the Habib ibn Mazahir battalion, a division of the Revolutionary Guard, many members of which later went on to occupy roles in the secret and intelligence services.

With the rise of his father, Khamenei, to the position of supreme leader in 1989, Mojtaba and his family gained access to billions of dollars, in addition to other assets and funds managed by Iran's state-owned companies and industries.

American diplomatic documents published by the organization WikiLeaks describe the now elected “ayatollah” as “the power behind the curtain”. According to the documents, he had tapped his father's phone and formed an autonomous support base in the country's corridors of power.

Khamenei “is widely seen within the regime as a capable and energetic leader and manager who could one day succeed at least part of the national leadership” and “his father [Ali Khamenei] may also see him that way”, said one of the American cables, dated 2008.