Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is incapacitated and receiving medical treatment in the holy city of Qom, according to an intelligence assessment reported by The Times, raising questions about who is leading the country.
A diplomatic memo based on U.S. and Israeli intelligence and shared with Gulf allies indicates that Khamenei is unconscious and suffering from a severe medical condition, the newspaper reported. The memo states he is “unable to be involved in any decision-making” by Iran’s leadership.
The first 'address' by Mojtaba Khamenei as leader — not in his own voice
The report marks the first time his location has been disclosed, placing him in Qom, a major center of Shiite religious authority about 140 kilometers (87 miles) south of Tehran.
Khamenei, 56, assumed power in early March following the death of his father, longtime supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who Iranian authorities say was killed in a Feb. 28 strike attributed to U.S. and Israeli forces. Iran has also said the younger Khamenei was wounded in the same attack, which it says killed several members of his family.
He has not appeared publicly since the start of the war. Iranian state television has aired two statements attributed to him without broadcasting his voice and recently released an AI-generated video showing him in a military setting, further fueling speculation about his condition.
Iranian officials insist that Khamenei remains in charge. However, his reported incapacity has intensified speculation that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may be exercising de facto control.
The intelligence memo cited by The Times also points to preparations in Qom for the burial of Ali Khamenei. It says agencies identified groundwork for a large mausoleum with space for multiple graves, suggesting other family members — and possibly Mojtaba Khamenei — could be buried there.
Separately, uncertainty continues to surround funeral arrangements for the elder Khamenei. Iranian media previously reported he would be buried in Mashhad, but authorities have delayed a state funeral, citing expectations of large crowds. The delay is notable given the Shiite custom of prompt burial. Wednesday marks 40 days since his death, traditionally the end of the mourning period.
Security concerns may be contributing to the delay, amid fears that public ceremonies could be targeted or disrupted.
Opposition groups have claimed Mojtaba Khamenei is in a coma, while other unverified reports describe serious injuries. None of those claims have been independently confirmed.
The developments come as tensions persist within Iran. Shortly before the war, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly clashed with fighters from the exiled opposition group Mojahedin-e-Khalq after an attempted takeover of a key government complex in Tehran.
First published: 08:15, 04.07.26