Report: Mojtaba Khamenei’s Communication Limits Are Slowing U.S.-Iran Talks

Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei is reportedly running state affairs from a secret hideout under severe communication restrictions, relying on a complex network of messengers to pass along messages and make decisions. That is according to a CBS report aired overnight (between Sunday and Monday), which cited American intelligence sources who said the isolation conditions under which Khamenei is operating have become a significant factor affecting the pace of diplomatic contacts between Tehran and Washington as well.

According to the report, when the United States sends proposals through diplomatic channels with Iran, the messages have to pass through various government officials in Tehran before they reach Khamenei himself. That lengthy process, the American sources said, is causing major delays in decision-making and in delivering an American response.

Two American officials quoted in the report described growing frustration in Washington over the difficulty of conducting an effective dialogue with the Iranian leadership under these conditions: "Every piece of information he receives is already out of date, and there is a significant delay in his responses." Another official said: "Watching them try to figure out how to talk to each other is almost like watching a sitcom. They are completely frustrated."

Alongside the report about the communication difficulties, a senior U.S. administration official said Khamenei has already given his preliminary approval to the framework of the draft agreement now taking shape, and that President Donald Trump expects to receive Iran’s final position within the next few days.

As previously reported, details published last month in "The New York Times" shed light on Khamenei’s personal and medical condition. According to that report, he was injured more seriously than was initially reported, and has since been living under an unusual security envelope out of concern that Israel could trace his location.

According to the report, his wife and son were also killed in the attack in which he was wounded. It was further reported that he is surrounded by a senior medical team, and that his condition requires prolonged medical treatment. His leg has undergone three surgeries, and he is waiting for a prosthesis to be fitted. His hand was also operated on and is now in a process of gradual rehabilitation.