Iran's Supreme Leader Remains Hidden After Air Strikes

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has remained unseen and unheard by the public for six months following February 28 air strikes conducted by Israel and the United States. The attacks killed his father and left Mojtaba with disfiguring facial wounds, forcing him to govern from the shadows for security reasons.

President Masoud Pezeshkian maintains that Khamenei remains in control and continues to make final decisions, citing a seven-hour meeting with the leader on August 10. However, this prolonged absence has fueled skepticism among the Iranian public and hardline supporters, occurring alongside a buckling economy and a blockade of oil exports.

In response to the leadership vacuum, the Iranian ruling system has reconfigured around the Supreme National Security Council, which includes parliament speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf and top military commanders. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has significantly increased its influence over strategic thinking and state governance during this period of instability.