Mojtaba Khamenei’s Absence Fuels Iran Leadership Doubts

Six months after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes plunged Iran into war and left Mojtaba Khamenei badly wounded, the country’s supreme leader remains out of public view, raising questions about his health, authority and Iran’s leadership structure.

Khamenei has not appeared in a photograph, video or audio recording since taking power shortly after the February 28 attacks that killed his father and former supreme leader. Iranian officials insist he remains firmly in control while recovering from facial injuries and staying hidden because of assassination risks.

His public communications have been limited to written statements delivered by state broadcasters. His absence from his father’s funeral ceremonies last month further fueled speculation among Iranians.

President Masoud Pezeshkian said on August 10 that he held a seven-hour meeting with Khamenei. Senior Iranian sources also say the supreme leader regularly meets a small circle of officials, receives major reports and makes final decisions on critical national security and foreign policy issues.

Still, doubts are spreading even among supporters of the Islamic Republic. A member of Iran’s Basij militia in Qom said seeing or hearing Khamenei would strengthen public confidence, while government critics have questioned whether there is sufficient evidence that he remains actively involved in governing.

The uncertainty comes at a critical moment. Iran has survived six months of conflict without a collapse of its political system, but its economy has suffered heavily. A prolonged blockade of oil exports has weakened the rial and increased fears of renewed domestic unrest.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has gained greater influence within the country’s reorganized power structure. Senior Guards commanders, Pezeshkian, parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and other officials are playing central roles around the Supreme National Security Council.

Officials maintain that Khamenei’s health is improving and that he retains the final word on major decisions. However, analysts warn his prolonged disappearance creates uncertainty as Tehran weighs its approach to Washington and the future of the war.

Middle East Institute analyst Alex Vatanka said major choices, including any potential agreement with the United States or continuation of the costly conflict, require Khamenei’s clear approval. Without a visible leader, competing factions could increasingly claim to represent his intentions.