Mojtaba Khamenei in Iran but avoiding public appearance for 'understandable reasons,' says Russia

Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in the country but has been avoiding public appearances “for understandable reasons,” Russia’s ambassador to Tehran told the RTVI news outlet on Tuesday. Mojtaba's absence has raised questions about Iran’s leadership and command structure since the start of the conflict with the United States and Israel. Mojtaba was named supreme leader after the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed when Israel and the United States launched their war on Iran more than a month ago. The US government has said it believes that Mojtaba himself is wounded and likely disfigured, though details of his condition have not been independently confirmed.US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran’s leadership had collapsed, questioning Mojtaba’s status and noting his prolonged absence from public life. Trump said, “Their leaders are dead. Their Supreme Leader is no longer supreme — he's dead. The son (Mojtaba Khamenei) is either dead or in very bad shape, because no one has heard from him. I think he's saying, 'just keep me out of this.' It's the only country where no one wants to lead.”Russia and Iran maintain close diplomatic ties, and last year the two countries signed a strategic partnership treaty. Moscow’s statement on Mojtaba’s presence in Iran underscores its continued engagement with Tehran despite the leadership uncertainty.