Trump told that Iran's new leader Mojtaba is 'probably gay'
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump was reportedly shocked to learn that US intelligence agencies believe Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, may be gay. The New York Post sources say this information is credible and not a smear campaign against the 56-year-old leader. The allegations were discussed in an intelligence briefing attended by Trump. According to sources, the president couldn't help but laugh. Others present also found it amusing, with one senior intelligence official reportedly laughing about it for days.
Briefing details
Trump reportedly laughed at the news
The sources said that Mojtaba has been in a long-term sexual relationship with his childhood tutor. The bombshell claim was made to The New York Post by two intelligence officials and a third individual close to the White House. The third source claimed that intelligence suggested that the affair was with someone who formerly worked for the Khamenei family.
Alleged advances
Allegations of sexual advances toward male caregivers
Mojtaba, who was reportedly injured in the February 28 airstrike that killed his father and other family members, has allegedly made "aggressive" sexual advances toward male caregivers. This was possibly done under heavy medication, one source said. While US spy agencies don't have photographic proof of these allegations, they insist the information is credible and derived from highly protected sources.
Rumored orientation
Rumors of sexual orientation have circulated since helicopter crash
The rumors of Mojtaba's sexual orientation have circulated in Iran since at least May 2024. This was after a helicopter crash killed then-President Ebrahim Raisi, who was seen as the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's preferred successor. In the US government, this information has been closely guarded, The New York Post report claimed. Trump had previously dismissed Mojtaba as a "lightweight" and an "unacceptable" choice for Iran's leadership.
Medical history
Leaked cable revealed he was treated for impotence
A leaked US diplomatic cable from 2008, published by WikiLeaks, revealed that Mojtaba was treated for impotence in the UK. The report did not specify the cause of his condition. It also mentioned that he married "relatively late in life" due to this issue, which was resolved after medical treatment. "Mojtaba was expected...to produce children quickly, but needed a fourth visit to the UK for medical treatment; after a stay of two months, his wife became pregnant," the file said.
Cultural context
Outing Mojtaba could expose hypocrisy in Iran
The allegations of Mojtaba's sexual orientation were hinted at in a CBS News report. The report said his father preferred a different successor due to "issues" in Mojtaba's "personal life." Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, but the government allows surgical sex change procedures, which some gay men are apparently forced to undergo in order to avoid criminal penalties. Sodomy is a capital offense, with several gay Iranians hanged from construction cranes as a warning to others.