Has Mojtaba Khamenei DIED? Months after he was named as Iran's new leader, rumours swirl in Tehran where there is still no sign of him and even his ministers have not met him

Iran 's Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has all but vanished from public view, fuelling fevered speculation in Tehran that the Islamic Republic is concealing the truth about who is really running the country. Mojtaba was named Iran's new supreme leader on March 8, a week after joint US-Israeli airstrikes killed his father Ali Khamenei on February 28. He was inside the compound in Tehran when it was struck. Sources close to Mojtaba's inner circle later told Reuters that the blast left his face disfigured and caused a serious injury to one or both of his legs. However, since his accession to leader was announced on state television months ago, no one has seen or heard from the ruling Ayatollah, including his ministers. Mojtaba's string of absences extended to his own father's funeral on July 5, where three of his brothers were captured praying beside the late supreme leader's coffin. Rumours of his supposed death have since been re-ignited after Mojtaba hosted a wake for his predecessor and father last Tuesday. Thousands filled Tehran's biggest mosque, including the nation's most powerful political figures and several of the late Khamenei's sons. Iranian officials claimed that Mojtaba had organised the event - but he was not among the attendees. It is now understood several of the nations political leaders have not even caught a glimpse of the new supreme leader. Podcast All episodes Play on Apple Spotify Iran's Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei attended a meeting in Tehran in October 2024 A picture of Mojtaba is displayed in a store in a local market in Bandar Abbas, Iran, in August 2026 London-based Iranian outlet IranWire reported not one cabinet member has met with Mojtaba since his accession to power five months ago. His invisibility has fed rumours among the 'highest levels of the regime' that he is in an extremely critical condition and his death is imminent. Such speculation is fuelled by Mojtaba failing to appear in public or deliver any speeches, with all correspondence kept to a few letters published by official news agencies. A source close to the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's cabinet, while confirming that no cabinet meetings had been held with Mojtaba so far, described his physical condition as very poor. 'We would not be surprised if we heard news of his martyrdom soon,' they said. Meanwhile, some believe Mojtaba was left brain-dead after the strikes. Earlier this month, a public appeal circulated on an Iranian messaging service, calling on people to pray for Mojtaba's health and to sacrifice a sheep on his behalf, as part of Islamic customary traditions. The appeal wrote Mojtaba's 'life is in danger', according to a group of clerics. Mojtaba is captured seemingly speaking during a session in Tehran, released on August 24, 2026 This followed the office's most recent statement on August 9 which claimed Mojtaba had met with President Pezeshkian. Following the meeting, believed to have taken place at the end of July, the paramilitary leader promised footage of Khamenei would be released in the future. According to Basij Organisation deputy Qasem Qoraishi, this would include videos of Mojtaba among the public and walking in the streets, as well as with armed forces commanders. Meanwhile, during the same August meeting, Mojtaba reportedly issued numerous decrees, promoted several generals to high military positions and moved around those in his National Security Council. Read More EXCLUSIVE If Iran's 'invisible' Ayatollah is barely alive, who's really running the country? This came after President Pezeshkian said meetings with the supreme leader were 'increasing day by day', but said in early August communicating with Mojtaba was 'very difficult'. It comes as the Daily Mail previously set out three theories circulating about Mojtaba's whereabouts. 'The first theory is that Mojtaba is alive and well, and that he's running the war from a bunker,' special correspondent David Patrikarakos, who had spoken with Western intelligence sources, said. 'This is the line Iranian officials are peddling. President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed recently that Mojtaba is on the mend. 'This theory holds that Mojtaba survived the bombing of his family largely intact. I think we can dismiss this as nonsense. It's clearly not the case. 'The second is that Mojtaba has fled to Russia. Russia has a long and ignoble tradition of sheltering foreign psychopaths. Right now, the ostrich-necked tyrant Bashar al-Assad is in Moscow, apparently playing video games for hours on end. 'I don't believe this either. The Iranians don't run. People said Khamenei might flee, I knew Khamenei would die in Iran. So, I think we can dismiss this as well. 'The third theory is that he's barely alive, possibly incapacitated and that his statements are actually being drafted by someone else. Most likely, Ahmad Vahidi, commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guard. Since his accession to leader was announced on state television five months ago, no one has seen Mojtaba 'This makes the most sense: if he were dead, I think they'd probably just say it.' Mojtaba's disappearance has left the Iranian regime in a lurch, with the supreme leader holding the majority of the constitutional power in the Islamic Republic. This has left Iran's 13-person National Security Council to take charge over the running of the country. It is split in opinion over the direction of the war with America. On one side, the council's chair President Pezeshkian supports an end to the war, supported by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has led talks with the US. However, on the other side, sits General Ahmad Vahidi, who is the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In June, all-but-one member voted for the memorandum of understanding Iran reached with the US in Pakistan. Mojtaba approved and backed the deal, which was given in a written statement. However, his approval came as he said he had a 'different opinion' on the agreement but granted permission after President Pezeshkian promised to safeguard 'the rights of the Iranian nation and the resistance front'. They also accepted responsibility for the deal. However, the interim peace deal, or the Islamabad memorandum, as it is known, quickly faltered. Despite the progress in the latest peace talks, unrest in the region has continued – although no major strikes have been made by either side in weeks. Previous Iranian attacks and threats to shipping have already stopped most traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, largely shutting down a waterway that carried around a fifth of global energy before the conflict. Although some oil tankers have been moving through the strait in recent weeks, volumes remain very low and on Sunday Iran blacklisted 45 tankers it says failed to comply with the rules it wants to impose on Hormuz shipping. Meanwhile, Tehran's Houthi allies have restricted Red Sea shipping with attacks and threats to blockade all Saudi Arabian shipping, which carries crude to Asia through the Bab el-Mandeb strait past the group's Yemeni stronghold. While the attacks initially only stopped some vessels, with more than half still getting through in mid-August, the situation is difficult for shippers with Chinese shipping companies now rerouting away from Bab el-Mandeb, according to industry sources. Iran has also threatened to retaliate against any neighbors who take part in US efforts to strangle the country's economy with 'earthquake' force. It has targeted Gulf states and Jordan repeatedly during the war, mostly focusing on US bases but also hitting energy infrastructure and other targets. The attacks on oil and gas facilities have contributed to driving up energy prices and are a means to inflict political and economic damage to the President Trump administration. There were recent attacks in the region on a vessel off the main Saudi Red Sea oil terminal at Yanbu on Monday, with another drone strike near the Suez Canal in early August. Beyond the Middle East, Tehran has been striking the West through cyber-attacks, most recently with Iran-linked hackers shutting down a small electricity station in the UK, according to the British government. US officials have said Tehran was also likely behind cyber attacks on water plants in Minnesota. Iran has not commented on those allegations. Almost six months have passed since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Thousands of people have died, most of them in Iran and Lebanon.