“Mujtaba Khamenei” Wounded Leader in Hospital as Allegiance Ceremony Held with Cardboard Image of Him

While reports indicate that Mujtaba Khamenei was wounded in attacks by America and Israel, he was appointed as Iran’s new leader; however, it is said that the allegiance ceremony was held with his image and cardboard model in his absence.

Following extensive military attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran in late February, multiple reports emerged regarding injuries sustained by Mujtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei. These attacks, which targeted command centers of the Islamic Republic, resulted in the death of Ali Khamenei and several senior government officials, ushering Iran’s leadership structure into a new phase.

In response to these developments, the Assembly of Experts selected Mujtaba Khamenei as the new leader of the Islamic Republic; an appointment that some analysts have assessed as indicative of greater concentration of power within circles close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

According to international media reports, Mujtaba Khamenei sustained severe injuries during the first wave of airstrikes that occurred on February 28. Various sources stated that he suffered injuries to his leg, abdomen, and face, and even sustained leg fractures and facial lacerations.

Some reports also indicate that he was wounded in the same attack that resulted in the death of his father and several family members.

Despite several days having passed since his selection as Iran’s new leader, no new images, speeches, or video messages from him have been released. This prolonged absence from the public sphere has generated extensive speculation about his actual health condition.

While some Iranian officials have stated that he suffered minor injuries but remains active, other sources have reported more severe injuries and his continued treatment at a secure location.

Ali Khamenei, the former leader of the Islamic Republic, was killed during the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Tehran on February 28; an attack that was part of extensive operations against Iran’s command structure.

Following his death, senior clerics and members of the Assembly of Experts quickly decided on a successor and introduced Mujtaba Khamenei as the new leader. Reports indicate that some clerics initially had doubts about family succession, but ultimately asked him to accept this responsibility.

This selection quickly provoked reactions both inside and outside Iran; as critics viewed it as evidence of transforming the Islamic Republic’s structure into a form of “hereditary rule.”

While it was expected that Iran’s new leader would appear publicly in the first days following his selection, reports indicate that he did not attend the formal allegiance ceremony.

According to media sources, only a large image of Mujtaba Khamenei was displayed at the ceremony, and some reports even indicated the use of a mannequin or cardboard cutout of him to display his symbolic presence.

The absence of the leader in person at such a ceremony, which typically includes a speech or official message, increased doubts about his physical condition. Simultaneously, media reported that he was likely still undergoing medical treatment.

The release of images from the allegiance ceremony and the symbolic presence of the new leader’s image or cardboard cutout generated widespread reactions on social media. Some users referred to these scenes as evidence of the “leader’s actual absence” and mocked images of people kissing the cardboard image or symbol of him. In contrast, government supporters attempted to present the ceremony as a sign of loyalty to the new leadership and considered it part of the Islamic Republic’s political culture.

In online spaces, even some analysts and political activists raised the question of whether the new leader is actually capable of governing the country under wartime conditions or whether Iran’s power structure is effectively being guided by powerful institutions such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Several days after the formal announcement of Mujtaba Khamenei’s leadership, limited information about his actual condition has been released.

The absence of direct images or messages from the new leader, combined with reports of his injuries, has caused many political observers to doubt the extent of his influence and capability in managing the current crisis.

Meanwhile, the war in the region continues, and Iran faces mounting military and political pressures; circumstances that could further place the future of this country’s new leadership in the spotlight.