Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei in hiding, relies on couriers: US intel report
US officials say Mojtaba Khamenei is hiding in a secure location and using couriers to communicate. The arrangement is slowing Iran-US contacts and deepening confusion within Iran's leadership.
US intelligence officials believe Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is currently hiding in an undisclosed secure location with extremely limited communication access, as per a CBS News report. They also mentioned that Khamenei is relying on a secretive network of couriers to relay messages and avoid detection.
The report, citing US officials familiar with the matter, stated that the unusual communication system has become a major obstacle in ongoing discussions between the United States and Iran over a possible agreement. Officials said even Iranian negotiators authorised to engage with the administration of Donald Trump have struggled to communicate effectively within their own government structure.
According to the officials, whenever the US sends proposals or deal details, there are often long delays before a response arrives because messages must first reach the supreme leader through an elaborate courier system.
A White House spokesperson declined to comment on intelligence related to Khamenei’s whereabouts or Iran’s internal communication methods.
The report further claimed that Khamenei adopted heightened security measures after sustaining injuries during joint US-Israeli strikes under Operation Epic Fury. Since the conflict began, he has reportedly not appeared publicly.
US officials told CBS News that American and Israeli intelligence penetration inside Iran had enabled the tracking and elimination of several senior Iranian leaders during the conflict. Fearing similar attacks, many Iranian officials are now believed to be operating from fortified underground bunkers and limiting direct communication with one another.
One official reportedly described the communication breakdown within the Iranian establishment as resembling “a sitcom”, saying officials were frustrated by the inability to quickly exchange information.
According to the report, even top-ranking Iranian officials allegedly do not know the supreme leader’s exact location and cannot contact him directly. Instead, messages are routed through intermediaries specifically intended to conceal his whereabouts.
Officials added that Khamenei has mainly issued broad instructions to negotiators, outlining which matters can be discussed and which issues remain off-limits, while final decisions on negotiations continue to face delays due to the slow communication process.