Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is reportedly sharing messages through “handwritten notes” sealed in envelopes passed on via a “human chain of trusted couriers” to avoid being tracked by US and Israeli forces.
Mojtaba has remained largely absent from the public eye since assuming leadership following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint US-Israel strike on February 28, the New York Times reported. While Mojtaba was “gravely” injured in the strikes, he remains “mentally sharp and engaged.”
Citing an Iranian official, the report said there have been no public appearances, videos, or audio messages from the new leader so far. The approach is believed to be deliberate, with the report suggesting he is acting “consciously as he does not want to appear vulnerable or sound weak in his first public address.”
Tight security and covert communication methods
Security arrangements around the leader have reportedly intensified significantly. Senior officials and top commanders are said to be avoiding in-person meetings, amid fears that such visits could expose his location and make him a target.
To maintain secrecy, communication has shifted to a manual system. Messages meant for Khamenei are handwritten, sealed, and passed through a network of trusted couriers who travel via multiple routes to reach his undisclosed location. Replies are sent back using the same process, reducing the risk of digital interception.
Injury details emerge amid ongoing tensions
The report also claimed that US-Israeli strikes “damaged his face” and left him requiring “plastic surgery. Medical details provided in the report indicate that Mojtaba has reportedly undergone three operations for one of his damaged legs and is “awaiting a prosthetic leg”.
An injured hand, meanwhile, is said to be “regaining function gradually.”
Furthermore, injuries to his “face and lips” have reportedly made it “difficult for him to speak.” The New York Times added that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, a trained heart surgeon, and the country’s health minister have both been directly “involved in his care.” The leader is reportedly “mostly surrounded by doctors and healthcare professionals” at his undisclosed location.
Iran has dismissed the reports as attempts made by the enemy to “undermine unity and national security.”
The developments come at a time of fragile calm in the region, following an uneasy ceasefire between Iran and the United States. However, tensions remain high, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, with diplomatic efforts yet to regain momentum.