Three days since his dramatic appointment as the new Supreme Leader of Iran, there is still no public sight of Mojtaba Khamenei in Iran. His absence from the public sphere comes in the wake of rumours that the son of the slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could have been injured in the US attack.
Mojtaba was appointed the new Supreme Leader on Monday, but is yet to appear in public, release a video, or issue any written statement to the Iranian public.
A reason could be that any public communication could reveal his location and endanger his life, according to a New York Times report quoting Iranian officials. US President Donald Trump had stated that he would support killing Mojtaba if he was not willing to give in to US demands. Trump has previously called Mojtaba an "unacceptable" choice.
Then, there are also reports that Khamenei suffered injuries to his leg during the February 28 attack. The report quoted two Iranian military officials who claimed that Mojtaba was alert and sheltering at a highly secure location with limited communication.
The full circumstances and extent of Mojtaba’s injuries were unclear, the report added.
There have also been reports in Iranian media addressing the new Supreme Leader as a “wounded war veteran”. A statement from Komiteh Emdad, a powerful government religious charity, also called Mojtaba “janbaz jang,” the Persian term for a veteran wounded in war. However, Baghaei evaded the local media’s question about whether Mojtaba assumed charge or not.
For years, Mojtaba Khamenei was considered a relatively mysterious figure at the top of the Iranian regime. He rarely gave public speeches and did not participate in public events. After his election, Iranian media outlets began distributing a short, half-minute video featuring still images of him alongside a brief biography.
While there are controversies over his appointment, a strategic adviser to Iran’s parliament speaker on Tuesday appeared on state TV to reassure supporters of Mojtaba’s credentials, saying he has long overseen military and security affairs amid criticisms that he lacks executive experience.
“Mojtaba Khamenei has always been particularly focused on military and security issues and has had oversight of them. The country’s war room is now being managed under his direction, presumably," Mahdi Mohammadi said.
"He is very well-versed in running the country. For many years, state officials have met with him and reported to him on various issues. He is familiar with the details of the country’s affairs. There will be no disruption in terms of his ability to gain full oversight of the country’s matters. No shortcoming will arise," he said.
