Overview
- US intelligence, reported by CNN, says the new supreme leader has influenced Tehran’s wartime planning and talks with Washington while staying out of public view.
- Iranian officials counter that he is recovering well, with aide Mazaher Hosseini saying a blast knocked him on the stairs and a small piece of shrapnel struck behind his ear.
- With his visibility limited, senior commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s elite military force, and Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are running much of the government’s daily work.
- US assessments say recent strikes weakened Iran’s forces but left many missile launchers operational, which helps Tehran retain leverage in efforts to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- President Masoud Pezeshkian says he met him for more than two hours, yet there is still no verified audio or video of the leader and his whereabouts remain unconfirmed.