Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei Lives in Secrecy Using Doubles and Messengers to Avoid Detection

A recent report by The Times reveals the secretive lifestyle of Mojtaba Khamenei, leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, who has not used a phone or computer for three months. To evade surveillance, he employs body doubles who even deceive his own servants, and communicates through handwritten notes delivered by unaware couriers.

Former Mossad division head Rami Igra explained that locating Mojtaba would require human intelligence agents on the ground, as the couriers only pass messages without knowing their content. A senior American official expressed skepticism about the CIA's ability to operate effectively in Iran, citing the country as a forbidden zone for 40 years, while acknowledging Israel's superior human intelligence capabilities despite limitations.

Ex-Mossad Brigadier General Avner Avraham highlighted the use of doubles, noting that staff feeding Mojtaba often cannot tell if they are serving the real leader or a decoy. Mojtaba went into hiding about three months ago following a wave of targeted assassinations of Iranian regime officials, including his father. He reportedly suffers from severe physical injuries due to an assassination attempt and has since avoided public appearances, maintaining a strict veil of secrecy.

This clandestine approach complicates efforts by Israeli and American intelligence to track him, underscoring the challenges of penetrating Iran's inner security circle. The report suggests that only a human agent on the ground could potentially identify and reach Mojtaba Khamenei.