According to World Israel News, he has. Buy why? Who is he afraid of: Americans, Israelis, or the IRGC?
Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has fled the country – report
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is reportedly issuing statements in the name of Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, after he left the country.
By World Israel News Staff
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is no longer inside the country and recent statements attributed to him were written by senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officials, according to an Israeli security official cited Sunday by the Saudi broadcaster Al Hadath.
The official provided no evidence for the claim and did not identify the country where Khamenei was purportedly staying. Iran did not immediately confirm or respond to the report, which could not be independently verified.
According to the Israeli official, Khamenei has become completely disconnected from developments inside Iran, leaving IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi and other senior officers to compose statements in his name and present an appearance of leadership continuity.
The allegation would represent a significant escalation from previous reports describing Khamenei as isolated in a secret location with extremely restricted communications. Earlier American intelligence reporting said messages reached him through what officials described as “a labyrinth of couriers,” but did not indicate that he had left Iran.
Questions surrounding Khamenei’s whereabouts, health and authority have persisted since he succeeded his father, Ali Khamenei, following the previous supreme leader’s death in US-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.
The younger Khamenei was reportedly injured in the same attack and has not made a confirmed public appearance since his appointment on March 8. He was also absent from the extensive funeral ceremonies held for his father earlier this month, despite reports that he had sought permission to attend.
Iranian officials attributed his absence to injuries and the danger that a public appearance could allow Israel to locate or assassinate him. President Masoud Pezeshkian said in May that he had met Khamenei and that the supreme leader’s condition was improving.
The IRGC published what it described as a new photograph of Khamenei on July 11 and said he was in “complete health.” The image did not resolve doubts over his location or the extent to which he was personally directing government decisions.
Iranian state media have instead issued a succession of written messages attributed to the supreme leader. In a statement released Saturday, Khamenei purportedly said repeated American violations of a memorandum signed with Tehran had shown that President Donald Trump’s signature was “utterly worthless and devoid of credibility.”
The statement also warned that Iran and the regional “resistance front” had “unforgettable lessons” for the United States as fighting between the two countries intensified.
The Israeli official cited by Al Hadath claimed those and other messages were not written by Khamenei, but by Vahidi and members of the Revolutionary Guard seeking to conceal the leader’s absence and maintain the appearance of a functioning command structure.
No independent evidence has emerged establishing who prepared or approved the written statements. Reuters reported earlier this month that senior Iranian sources believed Khamenei was continuing to make decisions while recovering, even though he was not well enough to appear publicly.
His prolonged absence has nevertheless become an increasingly serious political problem for the Islamic Republic. Iran’s supreme leader is constitutionally the country’s highest authority, with control over the armed forces, intelligence apparatus, judiciary and major elements of foreign and domestic policy.
Khamenei entered the office without the public political history or senior religious standing possessed by his predecessors. His influence before becoming supreme leader was largely exercised behind the scenes through his father’s office and his close relationships with Revolutionary Guard commanders.
Those ties have fueled speculation that the IRGC is exercising unprecedented control over the state while the supreme leader remains hidden.
“The internal divisions in Iran are deep and threaten the very existence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” the Israeli official told Al Hadath.
The official also claimed that Iranian operatives had prepared a sophisticated plan to assassinate senior Israeli figures in central Tel Aviv in retaliation for Ali Khamenei’s death.
No details were provided about the intended targets, the alleged method of attack or whether any suspects had been arrested. Israeli authorities have not publicly announced the disruption of such a plot.
Iran and its allied organizations have repeatedly threatened to avenge the elder Khamenei’s killing. Vahidi said earlier this month that pursuing those responsible for the US-Israeli operation would remain a permanent Iranian priority.
The Israeli source separately claimed that Washington does not want Israel participating in offensive operations against Iran, even in response to an Iranian attack.
The United States has not publicly confirmed such a restriction.
