Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei lives in bunker, communicates via couriers: Report
What's the story
Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is reportedly living under extreme security conditions at an undisclosed location. The leader has not been seen or heard in public since the start of the West Asia conflict earlier this year. According to a CBS report, communication with him now takes place through a complex network of couriers designed to conceal his location.
Communication delays
Communication difficulties between Iran and US
The courier network has made communication difficult between Iranian officials and the United States. Iranian officials involved in talks with the Trump administration have struggled to communicate effectively within their government structure. This has led to long delays in receiving responses from Khamenei as messages take time to reach him. One official said, "Every piece of information he receives is dated, and there's a lot of latency to his responses."
Security precautions
US and Israeli intelligence using sensitive information against Iran
The White House has declined to comment on intelligence assessments about Khamenei's location or Iran's communication methods. However, US and Israeli intelligence agencies reportedly used sensitive information from inside the Iranian government during the war. This has allowed them to locate and target several senior Iranian leaders. The surviving leadership now spends most of its time inside heavily fortified bunkers, avoiding direct communication unless absolutely necessary.
Negotiation role
Mojtaba survived operation epic fury strikes
Mojtaba Khamenei survived US and Israeli strikes during "Operation Epic Fury" on February 28. He was injured but survived because he had briefly stepped into the garden area. His father, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was killed during these strikes. Despite communication difficulties, a senior Trump administration official said Mojtaba had agreed to the broad contours of the current draft peace framework being discussed between Iran and the United States.
Negotiation topics
Negotiations between Iran and US at standstill
Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly given broad guidance to negotiators on which issues can be discussed and which should remain off limits during talks with Washington. US President Donald Trump also hinted at expecting the final word on the agreement soon. The complex communication network and security measures taken by Mojtaba Khamenei have become major obstacles in negotiations between Iran and the United States.