Iran is facing a serious crisis, and now a new mystery is troubling the country, where is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? The 86-year-old leader, who holds the highest power in Iran, has not been seen or heard from in nearly a week. This long silence has sparked fear, rumours, and concern across the country.

This comes at a time when Iran is under attack. Israeli and U.S. forces have bombed three of Iran’s main nuclear sites. In response, Iran launched missiles at a U.S. base in Qatar. A shaky ceasefire, arranged by U.S. President Donald Trump, is currently holding.

Despite all these major events, Iranian media has shown no pictures or videos of Khamenei. Some officials close to him say he has been moved to a secret underground location and is avoiding all electronic devices due to fears of assassination. Reports say even top leaders in Iran have not been able to contact him directly.

On state TV, a news anchor asked a senior official from Khamenei’s office about his condition. The official avoided giving a clear answer and simply asked people to “pray” and trust those protecting him.

In Tehran, women held up photos of Khamenei during protests against the U.S. and Israel, showing support for their absent leader. Iranian newspapers are also beginning to show concern. One editor said that if Khamenei had died, “his funeral would be the most glorious and historic.”

Meanwhile, a special committee chosen by Khamenei two years ago to find his successor has now started working faster, raising more questions about his health and safety. He is said to be under heavy guard by a special unit of the Revolutionary Guards.

The recent Israeli airstrikes on June 13 caused huge damage, killing several of Iran’s top military and nuclear experts. Iran responded with missile attacks, some of which broke through Israel’s defence systems. Iran claims 627 people died and nearly 5,000 were hurt, though outside confirmation is hard due to media restrictions. Israel says 28 of its people were killed.