So here's a situation that's making diplomats and intelligence agencies pay attention: Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is reportedly "unconscious" and receiving treatment for a severe medical condition in Qom, about 87 miles south of Tehran. That's according to a diplomatic memo based on intelligence inputs from the U.S. and Israel, which has been shared with Gulf allies.
The memo, as reported on Tuesday, says Khamenei is incapacitated and unable to participate in governance or decision-making. In a separate and unverified claim, the report adds that preparations are reportedly underway in Qom for the burial of Iran's former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The U.S. National Security Agency did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
Now, the health of Mojtaba Khamenei has been the subject of growing speculation since the war began, as he has yet to make a public appearance after being appointed as the new Supreme Leader in early March. It's one of those things where the absence of information starts to become information itself.
In an interview last month, President Donald Trump had suggested that, "I think he is damaged, but I think he's probably alive in some form." Later, Trump had also hinted at potential joint control of the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz with the Ayatollah, depending on the outcome of talks with Iran. Which is... an interesting thing to float while the leader's health is in question.
Earlier in March, leaked audio cited by The Telegraph claimed that Khamenei narrowly survived a targeted airstrike on Feb. 28 that killed his father, along with his wife, Zahra Haddad-Adel, his son, and several senior military officials.
So you've got a new supreme leader who hasn't been seen publicly, reports of him being unconscious and incapacitated, unverified claims about burial preparations for his predecessor, and the U.S. president casually discussing joint control of a critical waterway. It's the kind of geopolitical puzzle that keeps analysts up at night, trying to figure out what's really going on behind the scenes in a region where stability is... let's say, not the default setting.
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