- Mojtaba Khamenei took office as Iran's Supreme Leader five days ago but remains unseen publicly
- An official social media profile with his name shares AI-edited images, not recent photos
- Google’s AI detection found watermarks showing the images were digitally manipulated
Iran's newly-appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei assumed office five days ago, but he is yet to be seen in public. In the absence of any confirmed recent footage, an official social media account bearing his name has surfaced online.
The photographs shared on the profile, though, appear to have been digitally manipulated.
“This image of Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, which has been widely published by Iranian media today and now appears on his new X account, appears to have been manipulated with AI,” according to Shayan Sardarizadeh, a senior journalist at BBC Verify, who specialises in analysing disinformation and AI-generated content.
Google's SynthID detection system identified watermarks indicating the image had been edited using Google's AI tools, he further wrote in his post on X.
According to the journalist, the photograph is not recent. A reverse image search suggests the original image dates back several years and shows Mojtaba Khamenei attending a pro-government rally.
“A cropped reverse image search finds what appears to be the original version of the photo published several years ago. It shows Mojataba at a pro-government rally. The background and those surrounding him seem to have been edited and removed using AI,” he added.
Metadata linked to the X account reportedly indicates it is based in the Netherlands.
So far, no new verified photographs or video footage of Mojtaba Khamenei have been released since he was declared Iran's Supreme Leader earlier this week. Iranian state media has instead relied largely on archival images and footage while introducing the country's new leader to the public.
His absence has fuelled speculation about his condition following the strikes that assassinated his father. Iranian state television recently referred to him as a “Jaanbaz of Ramadan,” a phrase that translates to “Warrior of Ramadan.” News anchors used the term while reporting on his rise to power.
Sources inside Iran have suggested the cleric sustained minor injuries during the initial wave of airstrikes, including a fractured foot, a bruised eye and facial lacerations. He is believed to be sheltering in a highly secure location.
On Wednesday, Yousef Pezeshkian, son of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and a government adviser, said Mojtaba Khamenei was “safe and sound”. “I have asked some friends who had connections. They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound,” Pezeshkian wrote on his Telegram channel.
Iran's elite counterterrorism force, NOPO, has been assigned to guard Mojtaba Khamenei following his father's assassination. The unit, formed in 1991 and built around the 28th Ruhollah Division, typically handles hostage rescue operations.
