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NYT: Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei Disappears, Panic Grows

NYT: Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei Disappears, Panic Grows
Ali Khamenei

Internal factions have become active in the country.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has not appeared in public for more than a week. An anxious atmosphere reigns in Tehran, writes The New York Times.

Tensions are mounting in the country over the mysterious absence of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has not been seen in public or heard in official addresses for more than a week. This has caused a wave of concern among the public, the political elite and even the state media.

On Tuesday, an anchor on Iranian state television publicly asked a spokesman for Khamenei's office the question that has worried the entire country: "What's wrong with our leader?" The answer was vague - just a call to prayer and assurances of security measures.

The Supreme Leader's absence is particularly troubling against the backdrop of recent events: massive U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, a retaliatory strike on a U.S. base in Qatar and an urgent Qatar-U.S.-brokered cease-fire agreement with Israel.

According to insiders, Khamenei is allegedly hiding in a bunker and avoiding electronic communication because of the assassination threat. At the same time, there has been no official information about his condition or involvement in key decisions.

Amid uncertainty in Iran's political circles, internal factions have intensified. President Masoud Pezeshkian, known for his moderate course, has called for a change in the country's governing style and a renewed dialog with the West. But the hardline conservative opposition, led by Said Jalili, sharply criticized him for "unexpectedly" agreeing to a cease-fire and a willingness to return to nuclear talks.

The absence of Khamenei, who has the final say on military and state matters, creates a power vacuum. Analysts warn: if he does not appear publicly in the coming days, especially at the Ashura religious procession, it could signal a deeper crisis than official Tehran now recognizes.

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