Media: Mojtaba Khamenei Has Become A Kind Of "Schrodinger's Cat"
- 14.03.2026, 14:47
Who's really running Iran?
Iran's new leader Mojtaba Khamenei is absent from public appearances, revealing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' increasing power and shifting balance within the system.
The mystery surrounding Iran's new supreme leader may tell more about the power structure than about Mujtaba Khamenei himself, analysts say.
That's what Maariv writes.
When Khamenei Jr. was officially announced as leader on March 8, there was no TV news or public speech. The message was merely read out by a voice assigned to him.
Five days later, he did not appear in public or send a video message. That has raised questions about his condition and who is really running the country.
Analysts say the mystery is more important as a signal that Iran's system is working. "You could say that Mojtaba Khamenei has become something of a 'Schrodinger's cat' - alive and dead at the same time," said historian Shahram Holdi.
The lack of a public appearance has spawned versions: he may be wounded, hidden for security reasons, or power is actually held by others.
The main thing experts emphasize is that power in Iran is increasingly dependent on the security services. "This is a typical case of the tail wagging the dog. Now it's the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that runs the system," Holdi noted.
The media notes that Iran has for decades operated through an intertwining of religious authority, political institutions and security forces. According to political analyst Shian Sami, the balance has shifted in favor of the Corps.
"In practice, the security apparatus makes the decisions. The faces on the cameras are only the face of power, but decisions are made within the structure," Sami said.
Khamenei has long served as an intermediary between the supreme leader and the Corps. His sudden appointment and absence from the public eye has only increased the powerbrokers' influence.
"If you took the top position, you would go on television. By not appearing, he raises serious questions," Sami emphasized.
At the same time, events on the ground are testing the regime's institutions. Israeli strikes on Tehran have hit the facilities of the Basij, the force responsible for suppressing protests and control within the country.
A former U.S. national security official John Hanna believes this could signal weaknesses in the security establishment: "The question is, will members of the Basij start missing their posts? Will the regime be able to maintain its integrity?"
He warns that predicting the outcome is difficult. Authoritarian regimes can appear stable for years before suddenly collapsing.
Analyst Avi Melamed notes that what is happening in Iran may reflect a new power structure rather than an immediate regime collapse. "We are seeing a shift in the centers of power," he says.
Experts believe the changes could reshape Iran's domestic politics and the strategic balance in the Middle East.
A mystery remains at the center: Iran's new supreme leader has not appeared in public, and pressure on the security apparatus is growing. The question of who is really running the country is becoming a key issue.