Reports of Mojtaba Khamenei’s severe injuries, multiple operations and possible use of a prosthetic limb are raising questions about the situation and succession in Iran.
New unconfirmed reports surrounding injury to Mojtaba Khamenei has sparked intense international interest, as reports point to serious injuries, extensive burns and multiple surgeries following alleged injuries, with some sources leaving open the possibility that repair via prosthetic limb. These claims, which have not been confirmed by official medical or state authorities, are linked to scenarios of internal restructuring of the Iranian leadership and raise questions about the stability of power in Tehran, the functioning of decision-making centres and the possible impact on geopolitical balances in the wider Middle East region.
As four Iranian officials told the New York Times the injuries which Khamenei suffered from the US and Israeli strikes on 28 February – when his father was killed, Ali Khamenei, and leading members of the regime – are particularly severe, with the result that he has been unable to appear in public since he took power .
Hamenei will need a prosthetic limb and a plastic surgeon’s scalpel
The same sources noted that Khamenei has suffered extensive burns to his face and lips, which even makes it difficult for him to speak and may require plastic surgery to repair.
They added that Iran’s supreme leader has undergone three surgeries on one of his legs and is expected to need a prosthetic limb, and has also had surgery on one of his arms.
Ruling by “handwritten orders” through the Revolutionary Guards
Iran’s governance, according to the same report, has largely been transferred to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which determines key strategic decisions, including military operations and diplomatic moves.
Communication with Khamenei is reportedly conducted through a tightly controlled network of couriers: handwritten letters are stamped and transported by multiple intermediaries in vehicles and motorcycles until they reach his secret residence.
Concerns about the functioning of the Iranian leadership
The paper reports that senior government officials are avoiding visiting Khamenei for fear of possible targeting by Israel. At the same time, decision-making appears to be done collectively with the participation of military commanders rather than political officials.
Some sources say the role of Iran’s President Massoud Pezheskian, as well as the health minister, is mainly supportive of Khamenei in the context of his medical care.
Internal division
The situation in the Iranian leadership, according to U.S. estimates, is making international negotiations more difficult. US President Donald Trump has cited delays and a lack of clear representation of Tehran in the talks.
White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt said there is an “internal division between pragmatists and hardliners” in Iran, an element that is affecting negotiations over a ceasefire and Tehran’s nuclear program.
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