As conflict intensifies across the Middle East and pressure mounts on Iran’s military and political leadership, a long-shadowed figure inside the Islamic Republic has stepped fully into power. Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as the country’s new supreme leader, inheriting authority at one of the most dangerous moments in the regime’s history.

Yet even as the regime announced Mojtaba Khamenei’s elevation, an unusual silence followed. More than 24 hours after the announcement, Iran’s new supreme leader has not appeared publicly. There has been no verified video message or speech confirming his leadership. Instead, Iranian media have circulated old photographs, propaganda posters, and congratulatory messages from regime officials. Reports that Mojtaba Khamenei may have been wounded during recent turmoil have only fueled speculation about his whereabouts and the extent of his condition.