Iran's new Supreme Leader is 'unconscious' in holy city and unable to run war-torn country, intelligence memo says

By PATRICK HARRINGTON, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 01:34, 7 April 2026 | Updated: 01:40, 7 April 2026 Iran's new Supreme Leader is 'unconscious' and currently incapable of running the country, according to a new intelligence memo. An assessment understood to be based on American and Israeli intelligence says Mojtaba Khamenei is being treated for a 'severe' medical condition in the religious city of Qom. Khamenei, 56, has not been seen in public since he took over from his father Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated on the first day of the war. The regime reported he had sustained a 'minor' injury to his leg in the strike that killed his father - as well as his mother, wife, and one of his sons - but it has never explained his absence. This fresh diplomatic memo, shared with Gulf allies and seen by The Times, suggests he is in a much more precarious condition than previously thought. It reads: 'Mojtaba Khamenei is being treated in Qom in a severe condition, unable to be involved in any decision making by the regime.' It's not clear if he has been unconscious since being injured on the first day of the war, or if he picked up another injury later on. This is the first time his whereabouts within Iran have been made public since he ascended to Supreme Leader, though it's understood that American and Israeli intelligence have had the information for some time.  Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen since taking over from his assassinated father as Supreme Leader The new leader was at his father's compound when it was blitzed at the start of the war Ali Khamenei was killed by American-Israeli strikes, and his body is now being prepared for burial Qom is considered the religious capital of the country, and the intelligence claims Ali Khamenei's body is also there, being prepared for burial. The memo adds that work is ongoing in the city to 'build a large mausoleum' with room for 'more than one grave', suggesting family members could be buried alongside the late Supreme Leader. A state funeral for Ali Khamenei was previously postponed, with the regime citing 'anticipation of unprecedented turnout' as the reason. Two statements have been attributed to the junior Khamenei since he took power, but both were read out on state television by presenters. The state channel released on Monday a video purporting to show the leader walking into a war room and analysing a map of an Israeli nuclear power plant, but this has been confirmed as AI-generated. Opposition groups have previously claimed that Khamenei is in a coma, and thus far there has been no evidence to disprove this. President Trump has claimed to be negotiating with Iranian representatives, but has been clear he does not mean the supreme leader. It was revealed last month that Mojtaba Khamenei escaped death in the strikes on his father's compound in Tehran after stepping outside when they hit. Mazaher Hosseini, head of protocol for the regime, told senior clerics and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders that Mojtaba Khamenei suffered an injury to his leg Leaked audio said: 'God's will was that Mojtaba had to go out to the yard to do something and then return. 'He was outside and was heading upstairs when they struck the building with a missile. His wife, Ms Haddad, was martyred instantly.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.