Rumours are swirling in Tehran that Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, named Iran's supreme leader in March following the death of his father Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli strike, may be gravely ill or dead, as he has not appeared in public or been seen even by his own government ministers in the five months since taking power. His absence, including from his father's funeral and a subsequent memorial wake he was supposed to host, has fuelled speculation at the "highest levels" of the regime that his condition is critical, raising questions about who is actually governing Iran.

Sources close to Mojtaba told Reuters he suffered facial disfigurement and serious leg injuries in the strike that killed his father, and a source close to President Masoud Pezeshkian's cabinet described his physical state as "very poor," saying news of his death would not be surprising. No cabinet member has reportedly met him, correspondence has been limited to a handful of published letters, and a public appeal recently urged Iranians to pray for his health. Officials have promised footage proving he is alive, and Pezeshkian claims meetings with him are increasing, though he admits communication remains "very difficult" — feeding competing theories, including that Mojtaba is directing affairs from a secure bunker or was left brain-dead by the attack.