Iran: Mojtaba Khamenei runs the country through handwritten messages in hiding - report

More than two months after taking over as Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei has yet to make a public appearance, according to reports describing an increasingly secretive leadership structure in Tehran.

The Financial Times reported that Khamenei is operating from an undisclosed location under strict security measures due to fears of a potential assassination attempt by either the United States or Israel. 

According to diplomatic sources cited in the report, the Iranian leader has avoided all electronic communications, relying instead on handwritten or hand-delivered messages to issue directives and maintain contact with senior officials.

Iranian authorities have continued to insist that Khamenei remains fully in control and actively carrying out his responsibilities, despite growing questions surrounding his health and whereabouts. 

Sources told the Financial Times that Khamenei has established a tightly controlled command structure involving two committees tasked with managing mediation efforts and reporting directly to him. The groups are said to include military commanders, political figures, and former senior regime officials.

Another diplomat cited in the report said responsibility for the Supreme Leader’s protection now rests exclusively with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reflecting what analysts describe as deep mistrust within the upper levels of Iran’s leadership.

Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that power in Tehran is increasingly shared among a small network of influential current and former Revolutionary Guard officials. Among those believed to hold significant influence are Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, former Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, and former intelligence chief Hossein Taeb.