With Iran's new supreme leader wounded, IRGC is now ruling Tehran - report
Sources tell the New York Times (NYT) that Mojtaba Khamenei is in hiding after Israeli strikes, delegating authority to revolutionary guards commanders
Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been operating from hiding after sustaining serious injuries in airstrikes, with decision-making increasingly shifting toward military commanders, according to a NYT report citing multiple officials familiar with the situation.
The account, based on interviews with senior Iranian officials, members of the Revolutionary Guards, and individuals close to the leadership, indicates that Khamenei has had limited direct contact with senior officials since the strikes on February 28, which killed members of his immediate family and targeted the compound where he resided.
Officials said access to Khamenei is highly restricted due to security concerns, with senior commanders and government figures avoiding visits out of fear they could be tracked. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the health minister have reportedly been involved in his medical care.
According to four senior officials, Khamenei remains “mentally sharp and engaged” despite severe injuries. He has undergone multiple surgeries, including procedures on one leg, and is expected to require a prosthetic. Officials said he also sustained burns to his face and lips, limiting his ability to speak, and may require further treatment.
Khamenei has not appeared publicly in video or audio messages since the incident. Instead, he has issued written statements published online and broadcast by state media. Communication with him is conducted through handwritten messages delivered via a network of couriers traveling across the country.
The combination of his injuries, security concerns, and logistical challenges has led to a temporary delegation of authority to senior military leadership. Officials and analysts said commanders within the Revolutionary Guards are now playing a central role in decision-making, alongside ongoing involvement from both reformist and hardline political factions.
Analysts cited by sources said Khamenei’s longstanding ties to military figures, dating back to his service during the Iran-Iraq War, have reinforced the Guards’ influence within the current power structure.