With ceasefire in place, Iranians wonder at Khamenei’s continued absence

The New York Times reports on growing concerns in Iran over the continued absence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has not been seen in public nor heard from in nearly a week and who has not emerged despite the ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

Khamenei is believed to have been taken into hiding when the open conflict erupted on June 13. The paper says he is likely still in hiding due to fears Jerusalem could try to assassinate him even during the truce, but no updates have been given on his condition, and it is unclear whether he is still overseeing decisions.

It notes that when asked about the matter during an interview, Mehdi Fazaeli, an aide who leads Khamenei’s archives office, said: “We should all be praying. The people who are responsible for protecting the supreme leader are doing their job well. God willing, our people can celebrate victory next to their leader, God willing.”

The report adds that with Khamenei absent and silent, power struggles are emerging between Iran’s conservative and moderate forces as to the policies Tehran should adopt going forward.