Iran’s new Supreme Leader, 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei, is reportedly still recovering from serious facial and leg injuries sustained in the airstrike that killed his father at the start of the conflict, according to three people close to his inner circle speaking to Reuters.
Khamenei's face was disfigured in the attack on the supreme leader's compound in central Tehran and he suffered a significant injury to one or both legs, all three sources said, as reported by Reuters.
The 56-year-old is nonetheless recovering from his wounds and remains mentally sharp, according to the people, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. He is taking part in meetings with senior officials via audio conferencing and is engaged in decision-making on major issues, including the war and negotiations with Washington, two of them told Reuters.
Mojtaba Khamenei has not made any public appearances since taking over as supreme leader, and U.S. officials say he was injured during the conflict, according to a report by AP.
Reports suggest the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other military units may now be functioning without clear centralised command. Analysts also warn that any ceasefire agreement that fails to satisfy the IRGC and hardline factions could lead to divisions within Iran’s political leadership.
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?
Born in 1969 in Mashhad, about a decade before Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, Mojtaba Khamenei grew up during the period when his father was actively opposing Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, according to a report by AP.
An official biography of Ali Khamenei describes an incident in which the shah’s secret police, SAVAK, raided their home and assaulted the cleric. After the event, Mojtaba and his siblings were reportedly told that their father had gone away on a vacation.
“But I told them, ‘There is no need to lie.’ I told them the truth," the elder Khamenei was quoted as saying, AP reported.
However, the proposal to have Mojtaba Khamenei succeed his father has been criticised as resembling hereditary succession in Iran’s theocratic system, akin to a monarchy. However, his standing reportedly increased after his father and wife were killed, with hardliners viewing them as martyrs in the conflict against the United States and Israel, as reported by AP.
He is also said to have gained influence over both Iran’s military, now engaged in conflict, and its stockpile of highly enriched uranium that could potentially be used to develop a nuclear weapon if authorised by leadership, according to a report by AP.
Before being chosen, Khamenei reportedly held a role comparable to that of Ahmad Khomeini, son of Iran’s first Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, acting as an aide, confidant, gatekeeper, and power broker, according to the U.S.-based group United Against Nuclear Iran.
(With inputs from agencies)
