Where is Mojtaba Khamenei? Why is Iran's new Supreme Leader not appearing in public? CIA and Mossad on High Alert

Tehran: Where is Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei? His mysterious absence has put intelligence agencies—such as the U.S. CIA and Israel's Mossad—on high alert. Mojtaba was declared Iran's third Supreme Leader on March 9, following the assassination of Ali Khamenei. However, he has not made a single public appearance since then. In keeping with his father's tradition, he would typically deliver a speech or release a video message on Nowruz, the Persian New Year; this time, however, only a written statement was issued.

Additionally, some older photographs were published on his Telegram channel. This has raised questions regarding his health and whereabouts. Intelligence agencies are now scouring for any clues to determine whether he is, in fact, alive and actively governing the country.

What has US and Israel said?

US and Israeli officials told Axios that they have found some indications that Mojtaba is alive—specifically, that Iranian officials are attempting to schedule meetings with him. "We have no evidence that he is actually issuing orders," one Israeli official stated. A U.S. official described the situation as "beyond weird"—that is, extremely strange. The official noted that Iran would not go to such lengths to select a deceased individual as its leader; yet, despite this, there remains no concrete proof that he is actively functioning in the role.

What, ultimately, could be the reason?

The CIA is currently analyzing the published photographs to determine whether they are recent. While Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian released a video message on Nowruz, Mojtaba did not—a discrepancy being interpreted as a significant signal. Experts suggest that Mojtaba's absence may be attributed to security concerns. Raz Zimmt, Director of the Iran Program at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, noted that appearing in public is inherently risky given the current geopolitical climate. It is also plausible that an injury or health issue is preventing him from releasing a video message, thereby allowing the true severity of his condition to remain concealed.

Israel has placed Mojtaba Khamenei high on its list of targets, a factor that has further heightened the level of vigilance surrounding his status. Amidst the Israel-Iran conflict, this mystery raises questions regarding the internal power balance within Iran. Is Mojtaba truly at the helm, or are elements such as the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) actually in control? The CIA and Mossad are closely monitoring every signal, communication, and activity. This situation could significantly impact Iran's stability and the trajectory of the war.