Is Mojtaba Khamenei Still Alive?

Theories have emerged about the state of Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who was "notably absent" from his father's funeral in July.

The Details: "Almost six months since his anointment, Iran's supreme leader has been entirely obscured from the public eye," reported The Atlantic (Left bias) on Tuesday. "Not a single contemporaneous picture, video, or audio recording of him has been released… Not even Mojtaba's close friends and relatives have seen him."

The outlet said sources "inside and close to the government" speculated that Khamenei succumbed to injuries sustained from the US-Israeli strikes that killed his father in February. Several regime officials reportedly speculated he "either passed away or is brain dead."

One of Khamenei's relatives claimed his absence was "due to security precautions," which The Atlantic contended was "not implausible" due to ongoing warfare. The relative, former regime official Mohammad Hossein Khoshvaght, called rumors of Khamenei's death "part of a psychological war hoping to demoralize Iran's officials and its people, for them to give up to the pressures and threats of America." Khoshvaght, along with another former official, said the leader is "in full health" and will soon address the public.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, "I don't think he's dead. He was very seriously wounded... if he is dead, they're putting on a pretty good show."

How The Media Covered It: The Atlantic inferred that "no one seems able to say for sure whether [Iran's leader] is alive or dead. And without a firm hand at the top, indecision can become a purgatory without a foreseeable end." Newsweek (Center) suggested that even if Khamenei is alive, "he is painfully out of his depth and wholly incapable of maintaining control" over Iran. New York Post (Lean Right) alternatively reported a more sensational claim: "Trump confirmed in March that he received a CIA briefing on intelligence that Khamenei may be gay, contending it 'puts him off to a bad start in that particular country.'"

For Context: Joint US-Israeli strikes reportedly killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in late February, leaving Mojtaba, his son, to succeed him as supreme leader in March. Subsequent reporting suggested Mojtaba was also injured in some capacity. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he was "wounded and likely disfigured" on March 13th, though Trump said he was "probably alive in some form." Other reports said he may have been "in a coma" or had undergone surgery in Russia. Read more.

RELATED: Iranians Rally in Support of New Leader Mojtaba Khamenei; Many Remain Skeptical | AllSides

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