The United States Central Intelligence Agency, Israel’s Mossad, and other intelligence bodies are working to detect signs of Mojtaba Khamenei, as he has remained out of sight since being declared the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran following the killing of his father, reports The Times of Israel.
It is reported that intelligence agencies were expecting the release of a video statement from Khamenei, as his father traditionally did; however, in the end, only a written statement was issued.
“We have no evidence that he is actually the one giving orders,” a senior Israeli official is quoted as saying, while a U.S. official described the situation as “highly unusual.”
“We do not believe the Iranians would have gone through all this trouble to choose a dead person as Supreme Leader, but at the same time, we have no evidence that he is taking control,” the U.S. official added.
Meanwhile, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has come into international focus following his father’s death.
His absence from public view since being declared Supreme Leader has fueled speculation about his ability to assume real power, and has often led to doubts about whether he is even alive.
