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Mystery of Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei baffles intelligence: ‘beyond weird’
NY Post ^ | 3/21/26 | Gabrielle Fahmy

Posted on 03/21/2026 5:41:05 PM PDT by Libloather

Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, hasn’t been seen since the Feb. 28 strikes that blew up his father, baffling US and Israeli officials as to his current whereabouts and whether he’s actually running the Iranian regime.

Since the strikes that took out Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the younger Khamenei has issued two written statements, but no one has so much as heard his voice.

It’s left Iranians speculating whether he’s even alive — and earned him the moniker “the cardboard ayatollah” — after an AI-generated video of supporters hailing a cardboard cutout of him went viral.

But intelligence from both the CIA and Israel’s Mossad — like evidence regime officials in Tehran have been trying to schedule in-person meetings with Khamenei — suggest he’s alive.

His whereabouts and condition though — he was wounded in the opening strikes of the war that took out his father — remain a puzzling mystery.

The White House’s national security team is trying to figure out if the younger Khamenei, 56, is actually the one in charge — and if not, who is, a US official told Axios.

“We have no evidence that he is really the one giving orders,” a senior Israeli official told Axios.

“It’s beyond weird,” a US official added. “We don’t think the Iranians would have gone through all this trouble to choose a dead guy as the supreme leader, but at the same time, we have no proof that he is taking the helm.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Health/Medicine; Local News
KEYWORDS: baffles; cardboardleader; intelligence; iran; khamenei; mojtaba; piningforthefjords; supremeleader; supremetarget
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To: Libloather
I think he's in the refrigerator next to Walt Disney's head.



21 posted on 03/21/2026 6:39:09 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and his mercy endures forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: butterdezillion

Probably using an autopen like the dems did with biden.


22 posted on 03/21/2026 6:42:04 PM PDT by boycott
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To: Libloather

He is in a hospital bed and incapacitated by most accounts. The IRGC has likely kept him as a named leader just to deflect from finding out who is the real leader.


23 posted on 03/21/2026 6:52:36 PM PDT by Jonty30 (I would have been an awesome merchant marine. I can sell convenient store items very well.)
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To: boycott

The IRGC is in control right now. Mahyar Tousi thinks they named this guy as Supreme Leader because he basically is a Joe Biden. They’ve never proven he’s ever said anything to anybody but they can “get him to say” anything they want.


24 posted on 03/21/2026 6:58:39 PM PDT by butterdezillion
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To: butterdezillion

Mahyar Tousi thinks they named this guy as Supreme Leader because he basically is a Joe Biden. T


Or Hirohito, who became Tojo’s rubber stamp, because he know Tojo would “un-alive” him if he didn’t go along.


25 posted on 03/21/2026 7:07:18 PM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: Libloather

Weekend at Mojtaba’s.


26 posted on 03/21/2026 7:19:46 PM PDT by IAGeezer912 (One out of every 20 people on the face of the earth are Americans. We have won life's lottery.)
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To: Bubba_Leroy

😆


27 posted on 03/21/2026 8:01:08 PM PDT by Salamander ( Please visit my profile page to help me go home again. https://www.givesendgo.com/GCRRDa)
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To: Tell It Right

Some talking head said that he’s not the Supreme Leader. He’s the Fabulous Leader.


28 posted on 03/21/2026 8:04:22 PM PDT by MayflowerMadam ( "Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away". - B. Franklin)
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To: Sarah Barracuda

** the Biden approach. **

Weekend at Brandon’s or Bernie’s.

Invite Z and Oneleg.

2 are still alive. They can play 4-sided checkers. Might be a long wait when it’s

Bernie’s turn or Oneleg’s turn


29 posted on 03/21/2026 8:27:18 PM PDT by Surrounded_too (LE)
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To: Libloather

“WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S -—WRIT LARGE & GLOBAL”


30 posted on 03/21/2026 8:33:51 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: Libloather
They are trying to revive Mojtaba Khamenei using extraordinary measures.


31 posted on 03/21/2026 10:35:32 PM PDT by jonrick46 (Leftniks chase illusions of motherships at the end of the pier.)
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To: boycott

good one.
However, Babylong Bee is quite sure that Ayatollah Baby is Gay and devastated that his 72 virgina are all women.


32 posted on 03/21/2026 10:54:28 PM PDT by Veto! ((Trump is Superman))
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To: Libloather

Thought he was vacationing in Moscow...?


33 posted on 03/22/2026 3:32:40 AM PDT by Adder (End fascism...defeat all Democrats.)
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To: Libloather
The White House’s national security team is trying to figure out if the younger Khamenei, 56, is actually the one in charge — and if not, who is, a US official told (an unreliable news created to hate Trump).

Axios could have reported that the Iranian military is trying to figure out the exact same thing, with about the same amount of research and time spent on wondering what the White House national security team is wondering... A better story would be on how Axios gets money to pay for reporters to write anything.

34 posted on 03/22/2026 4:07:08 AM PDT by Dixie Yooper (Ephesians 6:11)
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To: Sarah Barracuda; All

Will Dr. Jill go over there to prop him up and show him where to exit the stage?


35 posted on 03/22/2026 4:35:20 AM PDT by SMARTY (In politics, stupidity is not a handicap. Napoleon Bonaparte I)
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To: Libloather

Since we found out it’s likely he’s homosexual, I’d guess he is rotting in a hole in the ground and someone else is pulling the strings and making the “statements”....


36 posted on 03/22/2026 5:59:47 AM PDT by trebb (So many fools - so little time...)
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To: Libloather

Who is in charge now? Putin.


37 posted on 03/22/2026 7:17:50 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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