Iran Power Shift: Military Commanders Take Lead as Mojtaba Khamenei Remains Sidelined

A group of senior Iranian military commanders is reportedly exerting significant influence over key state decisions in Tehran, as Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remains largely removed from direct governance, according to a report by The New York Times.

The report indicates that Khamenei, who was seriously injured in U.S.–Israeli airstrikes earlier this year, has limited physical access to officials and is no longer exercising the level of centralized authority once associated with his father, Ali Khamenei. In his place, senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are said to be playing a decisive role, effectively operating as a collective leadership body guiding both strategic and governmental affairs.

According to the report, Khamenei is currently in seclusion, communicating through handwritten letters delivered via a tightly controlled network of trusted couriers. These messages are reportedly transported discreetly across indirect routes, with replies returned through the same channels. Access to the leader is said to be highly restricted, even among top officials, due to concerns over potential targeting.

Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, is understood to have been involved in overseeing Khamenei’s medical care. Sources cited in the report describe the Supreme Leader as having sustained serious injuries, including facial burns and damage to his limbs, resulting in limited mobility and impaired speech. While he is said to remain mentally alert, his physical condition has necessitated reliance on intermediaries and advisers.

Analysts and former officials suggest that decision-making authority has shifted notably toward IRGC leadership. Key matters—including military operations, control over the Strait of Hormuz, and diplomatic engagement with the United States—are reportedly being directed by senior commanders. One former adviser characterized Khamenei’s current role as akin to that of a “board director,” with major decisions often formulated by military leadership before being presented to him.

This evolving power structure marks a significant departure from the centralized governance model maintained under Ali Khamenei, who exercised direct control over Iran’s political and military institutions.

The report also notes ongoing internal divisions within Iran’s leadership, particularly regarding the prospect of negotiations with Washington. However, military authorities are said to have prevailed in critical decisions, including suspending talks with the United States amid heightened tensions linked to the Strait of Hormuz.

Since assuming leadership in March, Khamenei has not made any public appearances nor issued audio or video statements. Officials suggest this absence is a deliberate effort to avoid signaling vulnerability during a period of sustained conflict.