U.S. and Israel Have Been Tracking Mojtaba for Months... Wiretapping Yields No Results

No Results Yet for CIA and Mossad

The Times, a British daily newspaper, reported on July 27 (local time) that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel's Mossad intelligence agency are making every effort to locate Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Photo by AFP News Agency

Mojtaba assumed the role of Supreme Leader in March, succeeding former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a bombing on February 28, the day of the U.S. raid on Iran. However, he has not appeared in public for approximately five months since then. He also did not attend his father's recent funeral, held on the U.S. Independence Day, citing security concerns.

The Times reported that although the CIA and Mossad have prioritized tracking Mojtaba's whereabouts, they are facing difficulties due to Mojtaba's complete avoidance of cell phones and laptop computers, making technical tracking methods ineffective. Mojtaba is believed to be hiding in an underground bunker after sustaining significant facial injuries from the bombing and is presumed to be avoiding the surface to prevent exposure to U.S. reconnaissance satellites.

As cyber surveillance has yielded no results, it is reported that both intelligence agencies are now focusing on HUMINT (human intelligence networks) rather than wiretapping or intercepts. Currently, the search is centered on confirming Mojtaba's survival and tracking suspected underground tunnels in Tehran or military bunkers near the religious city of Qom, which are believed to be possible hiding places.

Former Mossad official Rami Yegra stated, "Even if Mojtaba does not use a phone, if he is alive, he will communicate using paper notes or similar means. The key is to identify the couriers delivering these messages." This is similar to how the CIA previously located Osama bin Laden by tracking his couriers.

However, the analysis notes that security has been significantly tightened around those close to Mojtaba, and only a very small number of people are in contact with him, making the pursuit extremely challenging. There is even speculation that a body double may be acting in Mojtaba's place, which further complicates U.S. tracking efforts.

The Times also reported that even if Mojtaba's location is confirmed, whether to proceed with an elimination operation remains a separate issue. A former high-ranking U.S. intelligence official said, "Unless there is a clearly identified alternative force to lead Iran after his removal, the practical benefits are difficult to guarantee."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.