Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei 'misfunctioning,' not controlling regime: sources

Iran’s caller ultimate leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is small much than an "empty entity" who is not astatine the helm of the regime, according to Israeli nationalist information sources.

The lad of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — who was killed successful a targeted Israeli onslaught connected Feb. 28 — is besides linked to what officials picture arsenic a "misfunctioning" regime.

"The caller person is an bare entity," Kobi Michael, a defence expert astatine the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital.

"Mojtaba Khamenei does not look successful public, but we besides person reliable accusation that helium does not power oregon pb the authorities — oregon what has been near of the regime."

"The existent Iranian enactment is broken, confused and is astir misfunctioning," Michael added.

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A mourner holds a poster depicting Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, right, the successor to his precocious begetter Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, arsenic ultimate leader, during the ceremonial procession for elder Iranian subject officials and civilians killed during the U.S.-Israel run successful Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP Photo)

Mojtaba reportedly escaped decease by minutes erstwhile his begetter was killed Feb. 28, leaving the compound for a locomotion soon earlier an Israeli rocket strike, according to leaked audio accessed by The Telegraph.

The audio — reportedly from a Mar. 12 gathering — revealed details astir the strikes that besides took retired respective members of the Khamenei family.

Mazaher Hosseini, caput of protocol for Khamenei’s office, is supposedly heard successful the audio telling elder leaders that Mojtaba suffered "a insignificant wounded to his leg." 

Since being named ultimate leader, Mojtaba has not made 1 nationalist appearance. Instead, a connection by him was work retired connected Iranian authorities TV informing of continued strikes and urging Gulf nations to unopen down U.S. bases.

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Iranian Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, speaks during a property league aft his gathering with the Lebanese parliament talker Nabih Berri, successful Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 13, 2025. Gholamreza Soleimani, a elder serviceman successful the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who commands Basij forces, attends a gathering during Basij Week successful the Iranian superior Tehran connected Nov. 24, 2019.  ((AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File; Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images, File))

Other reports claimed Mojtaba was successful captious information oregon adjacent successful a coma, though Iranian officials person insisted that the caller ultimate person is successful bully health.

Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge Wednesday aft the sidesplitting of elder information authoritative Ali Larijani successful an Israeli strike, but lone again successful a connection released.

"Such acts of panic lone bespeak the enemies’ hostility and volition fortify the resoluteness of the Islamic nation. Undoubtedly, justness volition beryllium served," the connection said.

Ali Larijani, 1 of Iran’s apical information figures, was killed aft Israeli quality reportedly located him and different officials connected the outskirts of Tehran.

Other elder figures person besides been killed successful caller strikes, including Basij militia person Gholamreza Soleimani, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

"This is not a caller phase, but a continuing effort and a precise palmy and awesome 1 and a important constituent of the strategy meant to weaken the Iranian regime," Michael said of the continued strikes astatine authorities figures.

"This is to the grade that it volition not beryllium capable to reconstitute itself and/or to go again a terrible menace and destabilizing subordinate successful the broader Middle East."

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President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, astatine Joint Base Andrews, Md. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

Following the opening U.S.-Israeli strikes, President Donald Trump told the Iranian radical that their "moment of freedom" was astatine hand.

"When we are finished, instrumentality implicit your government. It volition beryllium yours to take," Trump said, suggesting the U.S. would assistance bring down the Iranian regime.

"At the precise aforesaid time, by weakening the authorities and paralyzing its capacities mostly speaking and its home power specifically, the U.S. and Israel are facilitating the required conditions for the Iranian radical to topple the regime," Michael added.

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"This is the eventual triumph successful their eyes, and the way to this destination is that they are trying to summation immoderate harm wherever they can."