Iran in crisis as US talks collapse, Mojtaba’s ‘mafia’ regime blocks Khamenei burial: analyst

A prolonged hold successful nan funeral of Iran’s ultimate leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, signals a deepening situation wrong nan Islamic Republic, according to a salient Iranian strategist.

Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad’s remarks came arsenic bid talks betwixt nan United States and Iran stalled and soul tensions raised questions astir the regime’s stability.

Fortieth-day mourning ceremonies for Khamenei began successful Iran connected April 9, pinch authorities withholding accusation astir his funeral much than 40 days aft his killing. A three-day authorities ceremonial scheduled for early March 2026 had already been postponed.

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Mojtaba Khamenei, nan caller ultimate leader of Iran and 2nd boy of nan precocious Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, attends a gathering successful Tehran, Iran, connected Oct. 13, 2024. (Hamed Jafarnejad/ISNA/WANA/Reuters)

"Forty-four days person passed, and nan authorities does not person nan assurance to publically hide Mojtaba’s dormant father," Sepehrrad of nan Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC) told Fox News Digital.

"That is an parameter of nan fearfulness wrong this authorities from apical to bottom," Sepehrrad added, earlier describing how, usually, "a belief authorities believes that their dormant must beryllium buried successful 24 hours."

Khamenei was killed Feb. 28 successful a onslaught targeting a authorities compound successful cardinal Tehran, pinch a abstracted onslaught affecting his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, who succeeded him.

Mojtaba is said to beryllium still recovering from terrible facial and limb injuries, 3 group adjacent to his soul circle told Reuters on April 11.

Khamenei’s look was disfigured successful nan onslaught connected nan ultimate leader’s compound successful cardinal Tehran, and he suffered a important wounded to 1 aliases some legs, 3 sources told nan outlet.

"The 56-year-old is nevertheless recovering from his wounds and remains mentally sharp, according to nan people, who requested anonymity to talk delicate matters."

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i, nan caput of nan judiciary and Alireza Arafi, lawman president of nan Assembly of Experts, be nan gathering of nan interim activity assembly of Iran successful an chartless location, amid nan U.S.-Israel conflict pinch Iran, successful Iran, March 1, 2026. (IRIB/WANA/Handout/Reuters)

He is taking portion successful meetings pinch elder officials via audio conferencing and is engaged successful decision-making connected awesome issues, including nan warfare and negotiations pinch Washington, 2 of nan sources say, according to reports.

The study came arsenic Iran navigated negotiated efforts pinch nan U.S. successful Islamabad aimed astatine easing tensions amid a two-week ceasefire, which yet grounded to nutrient a breakthrough.

"Mojtaba input successful nan wide reddish lines of negotiations, moreover if he is not nan nationalist face," Sepehrrad claimed. "At nan extremity of nan day, for much than 10 years, he served arsenic his father’s right-hand man and arsenic a conduit to nan IRGC."

"Mojtaba whitethorn beryllium little rhetorical, little publically ideological, and much operational because his superior attraction is endurance of nan regime."

Iran besides confirmed Sunday it had nary plans for further bid talks aft nan marathon summit, wherever Pakistan mediated.

"No scheme has yet been announced for nan time, place, aliases adjacent information of negotiations," Iranian authorities news agency Nour reported Saturday, citing nan country’s Supreme National Security Council, pinch nary connection from nan caller Supreme Leader.

IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER MOJTABA KHAMENEI 'MISFUNCTIONING,' NOT CONTROLLING REGIME: SOURCES

A mourner holds a image of Iran's slain ultimate leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (top-L) connected March 5, 2026, during a ceremonial convoy for members of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary group Hezbollah Brigades (Kataeb Hezbollah) who were killed successful a onslaught successful Baghdad nan erstwhile day. The Tehran-backed Iraqi group Kataeb Hezbollah said connected March 5 that 1 of its commanders was killed successful a onslaught successful confederate Iraq nan erstwhile day. (Ahmed Al-Rubaye/AFP)

"Mojtaba is little nan ultimate leader successful nan accepted consciousness and much nan coordinator of a security-led system," Sepehrrad explained earlier describing him arsenic "more for illustration a security-backed coordinator."

"This authorities does not pass pinch 1 unified voice. It communicates by function," Sepehrrad said.

"One transmission negotiates, different threatens, different punishes, and different tries to support ideological continuity. It is now a mafia," nan strategist claimed.

"The cardinal constituent is not harmony but section of labor. What holds them together is authorities survival, not trust."

"What we are seeing now is deeper: a leader who lacks integrated authority and truthful governs done nan institution that controls force," Sepehrrad said.

On nan Iranian side, negotiations, nan expert said, besides did impact "diplomats," but a wider circle of security-linked figures shaping Tehran’s posture, reflecting nan expanding power of hardline institutions.

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Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir upon their presence astatine Nur Khan airbase successful Rawalpindi, Pakistan, connected April 11, 2026. (Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP)

"This was a brittle conjugation of information men," Sepehrrad said, earlier describing really Mojtaba is "at nan top, but is heavy reliant connected nan Guards, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, SNSC main Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, IRGC commandant Ahmad Vahidi, Judiciary main Mohseni-Ejei, and rule enforcement main Ahmad-Reza Radan."

"Several of nan astir important surviving figures are not chiefly diplomats," Sepehrrad said earlier suggesting that that should "change really we should publication everything coming retired of Tehran."

"That is simply a different strategy from nan 1 galore Western analysts still deliberation they are dealing with," Sepehrrad explained. "Dual way — tactical elasticity successful talks and a harsher repression astatine home."

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"While nan authorities negotiates to bargain time, trim unit connected its forces, and forestall broader outer escalation, internally, it is apt to intensify arrests, executions, intimidation, and net controls now," nan strategist warned.

"The authorities fears soul unrest much than diplomacy," Sepehrrad said.