The absence of Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei from public view is creating tension in negotiations with the United States, and his silence is fueling divisions in Tehran. The Wall Street Journal wrote about this on Sunday, May 10, citing diplomatic sources.
Khamenei has not appeared in public since the end of February, after another US-Israeli raid, which left him seriously injured. Without this, Iran’s elites cannot decide what concessions can be made during dialogue with countries, she says condition.
Hardliners took to social media to call on Khamenei to at least issue an audio message on the talks and to criticize Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and other politicians seen as moderate.
On May 9, it was reported that as a result of an air strike in Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei fell to the ground and sustained injuries to his knee and back, as well as a minor injury behind his ear. Now his back has already healed, and his knee will recover soon. An unnamed Iranian official said there was no reason to worry about the health of the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader.
On April 23, Western media reported that during attacks by US and Israeli forces, Mojtaba Khamenei was allegedly seriously injured, including severe burns to his face, making it difficult to speak.