Fresh speculations have emerged over the whereabouts of Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, with an Israeli security source claiming that he is currently "not in Iran" as the country grapples with growing political tensions and ongoing conflict with the United States.
According to Saudi news outlet Al-Hadath, an Israeli security source said on Sunday that Mojtaba Khamenei has not been in Iran. However, there has been no official confirmation from Iranian authorities regarding the claim.
Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the role of Supreme Leader shortly after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in joint US-Israeli military strikes on February 28. Since taking office, he has not appeared in public and has communicated only through written statements.
The Israeli source further alleged that Khamenei's official messages are being drafted by newly appointed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief Ahmad Vahidi, along with other senior IRGC officials.
"Iran's internal divisions are deep and threaten the existence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," the source was quoted as saying.
The same source also claimed that the United States does not want Israel to participate in retaliatory strikes against Iran, even if Tehran launches attacks on Israeli territory.
The claims about Mojtaba Khamenei's whereabouts come as reports point to widening divisions within Iran's political establishment.
According to a CNN report, an intense power struggle has emerged between Iran's ultra-hardline factions and the country's more moderate governing leadership following the signing of a 14-point diplomatic agreement with the United States.
Hardline groups have accused the current administration of carrying out a "soft coup", alleging that it compromised Iran's interests by agreeing to the deal instead of retaliating for the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The political tensions spilled onto the streets during the funeral of the former Supreme Leader.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led ceasefire negotiations with the Trump administration, was reportedly forced to leave the funeral procession after an angry crowd hurled stones at him and his delegation.
Mourners shouted slogans such as "Death to the compromiser" and accused senior officials of being "traitorous sellouts", expressing their anger over the diplomatic agreement.
CNN reported that the public hostility reflected deep divisions within Iran's ruling establishment, with hardliners believing that the government had effectively surrendered by signing an agreement that went against the directives of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
With Mojtaba Khamenei remaining out of public view, hardline factions have accused the country's visible leadership of attempting to consolidate power while sidelining parliament.
Days before the funeral, outspoken hardline MP Mahmoud Nabavian posted on X, "Warning to the people of Iran: Is a coup on the way?"
After the funeral, he wrote, "In these moments of farewell to the martyred Imam (Khamenei), we raise the banner of vengeance for his blood and stand firm against the coup."
In Khamenei's prolonged absence, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have emerged as the key public faces managing post-war Iran.
Speaking to CNN, US-based Iran researcher Arash Azizi said, "Mojtaba's continued absence means that they don't have access to him and also that Ghalibaf and allies are effectively in charge of the country... the ultra-hardliners have thus accused Ghalibaf and Pezeshkian of plotting a 'coup' against Mojtaba."
According to the report, ultra-conservative factions used the multi-day funeral ceremonies to renew calls for military retaliation against Washington and reject any diplomatic understanding reached with the Trump administration.
Hardliners have also accused the current leadership of weakening traditional institutions to strengthen its grip on power.
"They are trying to elevate the role of the Supreme Council for National Security while diminishing the role of the supreme leader and parliament," hardline lawmaker Kamran Ghazanfari said in a video message earlier this month.
"This is the political coup they have designed and are carrying out step by step," he added.
As tensions with the United States continue, Iran is also facing mounting political uncertainty at home, with reports suggesting that deepening internal divisions are posing a significant challenge to the country's leadership.
(with ANI inputs)
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