As Iran faces its most volatile period following the assassination of Ali Khamenei during Operation "Roaring Lion," social media platforms (X, Telegram, and TikTok) are spiraling with a central mystery: Where is Mojtaba Khamenei?
The current storm reached a peak following reports and footage from his appointment ceremony and recent mass rallies in Tehran. Instead of a leader in the flesh, the regime appeared to display a life-sized cardboard cutout of Mojtaba.
The internet's reaction was swift and mocking:
* "The Two-Dimensional Ayatollah": Thousands of memes have flooded the web, with users ridiculing the regime and claiming Mojtaba is incapable of making a public appearance.
* Medical Mystery: Rumors are intensifying that Mojtaba was severely wounded in the same late-February strike that killed his father. Some sources suggest he suffered debilitating leg injuries, while more extreme theories claim he is no longer alive and that the regime is using the cutout to prevent a total collapse of morale.
