CIA's New Year's Hunt in Tehran: A Mojtaba Mystery

Emil Forsberg

Updated 16.51 | Published 15.51 

           

          Mojtaba Khamenei at a 2019 appearance. Photo: Vahid Salemi / AP

The CIA and Mossad followed the Persian New Year celebrations closely in the hope of solving the "Mojtaba Mystery".

But the ayatollah remains missing.

- We have no evidence that he is really the one giving the orders, an Israeli source tells Axios.

Tehran residents defied the war and took to the streets to celebrate the Persian New Year, Nowruz.

At the same time, the world's intelligence agencies were watching to see if Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei would follow his father's tradition and give a New Year's speech.

That did not happen.

Instead, the ayatollah published a handwritten note threatening to attack American and Israeli representatives and military personnel abroad.

 

An Iranian man celebrates Newroz in Tehran in March 2025. Photo: Vahid Salemi / AP

“Disfigured”

Iran’s new supreme leader has not been seen since he took office and is reported to have been injured in the attack that killed his father Ali Khamenei. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has even claimed that he may be “disfigured.”

The ayatollah’s absence has sparked speculation, with Axios describing the situation as a “Mojtaba mystery.”

The US and Israel have intelligence indicating that he is still alive, including Iranian officials’ schedules showing scheduled personal meetings with him.

But who is in charge in Tehran is not entirely clear.

– It’s incredibly strange. We don't believe the Iranians would have made an effort to elect a dead man as supreme leader, but at the same time we have no evidence that he is taking over, a US official told Axios.

 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has claimed that the ayatollah may be "disfigured". Photo: Konstantin Toropin /AP/TT

"Are crazy"

The US and Israel have eliminated a number of leaders in the Iranian top echelon, which has reportedly led to a power vacuum. But there is no indication that the regime is about to collapse, according to sources to Axios.

- The Revolutionary Guard is taking over Iran and they are crazy. They are very ideological and ready to die and face Khamenei the elder.

Middle East expert Alexander Atarodi also does not believe that the tactic of eliminating the highest echelons will work.

– Iran is a completely unique structure that does not follow this pyramid concept. To think that you can knock out 20, 30, 40 people and then the whole system collapses? The answer is no, he has previously told Aftonbladet.

However, he believes that it will be difficult for Mojtaba Khamenei to lead Iran from the shadows.

– He may not be able to stay hidden for several years, but a few weeks or months until things calm down. The regime will be very careful about where key people are.

           

           Middle East expert Alexander Atarodi.