A new episode has been added to the intrigue surrounding Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, whose appearance remains "invisible" five months after assuming office.
According to a report by opposition outlet Iran International, his only meeting to date with President Masoud Pezeshkian took place inside a dark vehicle with tinted windows, with the two men hearing each other's voices but unable to see each other's faces.
Threat of resignation
According to the report, Pezeshkian had repeatedly requested a meeting with the new leader, who assumed office on 9 March, even threatening to resign.
Khamenei's office eventually agreed, but not at the official residence, as is customary. Instead, the President was taken to an undisclosed location in Tehran and escorted to the back seat of an ordinary vehicle.
According to the report, Mojtaba Khamenei was waiting there, although the two men were not permitted to shake hands. The meeting reportedly lasted only a few minutes, rather than the two and a half hours Pezeshkian had publicly referred to in May.
'Was it really Khamenei?'
The circumstances reportedly angered Pezeshkian, who viewed them as humiliating.
According to individuals in his circle, he later wondered whether the man beside him had in fact been the Supreme Leader, since he never saw his face.
Since then, he has requested a second meeting at Khamenei's residence, a request that has reportedly been rejected.
The issue has now attracted attention even in pro-government Iranian media.
On Sunday, the newspaper Hamshahri published a video claiming that foreign intelligence services could identify the leader's hideout by analysing audio recordings, using factors such as acoustic energy, electrical grid frequency and environmental sounds. The report also suggested that the tone of his voice could reveal information about his health and stress levels.
Conflicting assessments
Assessments of Khamenei's fate remain contradictory.
Donald Trump recently suggested there was a 90% chance that he had been killed, while Israel's Prime Minister said he had survived.
Even Iranian officials appear to disagree. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in July that he had not seen Khamenei, while Pezeshkian claimed a day later that their meetings had increased.
Tensions between the two sides are also reported to have escalated, with the Supreme Leader's office now officially warning the President over his repeated threats to resign.
According to earlier reports, Pezeshkian sent a formal resignation letter at the end of May, citing what he described as the Revolutionary Guards' complete control over governance, although the resignation ultimately did not take effect.
Source: Proto Thema
