Where is Khamenei? Supreme Leader absent while Iran faces deadliest escalation
As Iran grapples with a series of unprecedented military escalations, a new mystery has gripped the country: Where is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?The 86-year-old leader, who wields ultimate authority in Iran, has not been seen or heard from publicly for nearly a week — a silence that has fuelled intense speculation, concern, and unease across the nation.His absence comes at a time of intense crisis as Israeli and US forces have jointly bombed three of Iran's prime nuclear sites, Tehran has retaliated with missile strikes on an American base in Qatar, and a shaky ceasefire brokered by Donald Trump is now in place.advertisement
The Iranian media has offered no images or statements from Khamenei since the hostilities began. Officials close to him claim he has been moved to a secret underground bunker and is refraining from electronic communication to avoid potential assassination attempts — a threat Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly not ruled out, despite Trump's supposed advisory not to kill the Supreme Leader, according to the New York Times. Reports suggest that even top Iranian government figures are believed to be cut off from direct contact with him. On Tuesday, the host of a prime-time Iranian state television show asked Mehdi Fazaeli, a senior official from Khamenei's office, about the Supreme Leader's whereabouts. "People are very worried about the Supreme Leader. Can you tell us how he is?" the anchor asked. But Fazaeli sidestepped the question, saying "We should all be praying. Those tasked with protecting the Supreme Leader were doing their job".advertisementIn Tehran, women were seen carrying portraits of Khamenei during an anti-US and anti-Israel protest over the weekend, a rare sight in the absence of any guidance or message from their highest authority. The Iranian newspapers are beginning to voice concern as well. "His days-long absence has made all of us who love him very worried," Mohsen Khalifeh, editor of Khaneman, a daily newspaper. He added that if Khamenei were dead, "his funeral would be the most glorious and historic".Notably, a three-man committee from a top clerical body in Iran, appointed by Khamenei himself two years ago to identify his replacement, has accelerated its planning, according to news agency Reuters. Khamenei has gone into hiding with his family and is being guarded by the Vali-ye Amr special forces unit of the Revolutionary Guards, a top security official told Reuters.Israel's sudden air assault on June 13 decimated the top echelon of Iran's military leadership and claimed the lives of several top nuclear scientists, marking one of the most significant escalations in the Middle East's history. Iran also retaliated with a barrage of missiles that, for the first time, managed to break through Israel's layered air defence systems in significant numbers.Iranian officials claimed the attacks left 627 people dead and nearly 5,000 injured on their soil. Independent verification of the damage, however, remains difficult due to strict curbs on media access. In Israel, authorities confirmed 28 fatalities.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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India Today
7 minutes ago
- India Today
Snake oil seller to 100% communist. Why Mamdani is facing backlash tsunami
Hours after winning the Democratic primary for the November New York mayoral election, Zohran Mamdani, son of Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair, found himself at the centre of a political firestorm. From US President Donald Trump to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, critics across the political spectrum have launched blistering attacks, branding him everything from a "snake oil seller" to a "100% communist".advertisementThe backlash was sparked by Mamdani's tall promises, vocal criticism of Israel, and unwavering support for the Palestinian whose father is Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani, is married to Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist. In Tuesday's heated Democratic primary election event, New York City Mayor Eric Adams slammed the 33-year-old, calling him a "snake oil salesman," following Mamdani's victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was seeking a political comeback."He was just saying whatever people wanted to hear to win," said Adams during an appearance on "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday morning. The mayor is set to challenge the 33-year-old Mamdani again in November's general election, this time as an independent candidate, according to a report in The New York YORK MAYOR SLAMS MAMDANI PLAN AS 'EMPTY PROMISE'advertisementEric Adams claimed Mamdani was making unrealistic progressive promises that he wouldn't be able to has put forward a number of bold ideas, including freezing rents on regulated apartments, providing free bus service and child care through public funding, and launching grocery stores run by the his campaign, Mamdani said the estimated $10 billion price tag for his wide range of proposals would be covered by raising taxes on New York City's wealthiest dismissed Mamdani's tax plan as "misleading", saying mayors can't raise income taxes."Think about this for a moment — (Mamdani) wants to raise taxes on the 1% of New Yorkers' high income (But) as the mayor you don't have the ability to do that," Adams said, noting that raising taxes is something Mamdani could push for in the state Assembly, where he is currently serving his third term representing Queens, The New York Post reported."He doesn't understand the power of government and how you must be making sure you're improving your economy [and] raising the standard of living," the 64-year-old mayor added.100% COMMUNIST LUNATIC: TRUMP SLAMS MAMDANITrump also launched a furious attack on the Democratic socialist. Mamdani won 43.5% of the vote with 90 percent of ballots finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social."We've had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous. He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he's not very smart, he's got AOC+3, Dummies ALL, backing him, and even our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin' Chuck Schumer, is groveling over him. Yes, this is a big moment in the History of our Country!" the President DEMOCRATS ECHO REPUBLICANS' VIEWSLawrence Summers, who served as Treasury Secretary under former President Barack Obama, echoed sentiments similar to those voiced by Trump, expressing serious concern over Mamdani's victory in a social media post, according to news agency Associated Press (AP)."I am profoundly alarmed about the future of the (Democratic Party) and the country" because of the New York City results," Summers Bennett, co-founder of the centrist Democratic group Third Way, warned that Mamdani's policies are a political problem for the Democratic Party."The fact that Mamdani is young, charismatic, a great communicator — all of those things are to be emulated," AP quoted Bennett as ideas are bad and his affiliation with the (Democratic Socialists of America) is very dangerous. It's already being weaponised by the Republicans," he POLITICAL VIEWS, POSITIONSSince 2021, Mamdani has been representing Astoria, Queens, in the New York State Assembly. His victory in the mayoral primary indicates that progressive ideas are becoming more popular in the city. His campaign has ambitious plans, like establishing city-run grocery stores, freezing rent increases in rent-stabilised housing, and providing free city buses. These ideas would be funded by a $10 billion tax increase on businesses and wealthy has been vocal about international issues, especially regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. His firm pro-Palestinian position has drawn sharp criticism from pro-Israel organisations. At one point, he stated that if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to New York City, he would support having him arrested, citing the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants issued in November supporters view him as a bold and much-needed progressive voice for New AND HIS FAMILYMamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to parents with roots in India, and became an American citizen in 2018 shortly after graduating from spent some part his childhood with his family in Cape Town, South Africa, before relocating to New York City at the age of mother, Mira Nair, is an award-winning filmmaker who has made cult films such as Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, and Mississippi Masala. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an anthropology professor at Columbia this year, Mamdani tied the knot with Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist, in a ceremony at the City Clerk's Office. The two met through the dating app Hinge and now reside together in Astoria, Queens.- EndsTrending Reel
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First Post
10 minutes ago
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Inside Pickaxe Mountain, Iran's new nuclear lair that could evade US bombs
Iran has been digging tunnels beneath the Pickaxe mountain, which is just a few minutes from the Natanz nuclear facility. The facility under the peak, also known as Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā, is believed to be at a depth of 100 metres. This could reduce the effectiveness of the US bunker-buster bomb that hit three key Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend read more This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows construction on a new underground facility at Iran's Natanz nuclear site near Natanz, Iran, on April 14, 2023. File Photo/AP Iran is constructing a nuclear facility that is so deep that even the United States' bunker buster bomb may not be able to destroy it. The new site comes to the spotlight after American B-2 stealth jets dropped 30,000lb bunker-busting bombs on Iran's three key nuclear facilities — Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan — over the weekend. While US President Donald Trump claims that the attack 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear programme, Tehran reportedly asserted that it shifted the key nuclear material before the American strikes. Experts believe Iran could have moved out some 400kg of enriched uranium before the US bombing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They say Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā, or 'Pickaxe Mountain', may be the perfect place for Iran to hide its nuclear materials. Let's take a closer look. Pickaxe mountain – Iran's new nuclear lair Iran is reportedly constructing deep into Pickaxe Mountain, which is just about 145 km south of Fordow and only a few minutes from the Natanz nuclear facility in central Isfahan province. Tehran has secretly expanded and reinforced the site in the past four years, as per The Telegraph report. In 2023, after analysing photos and videos from Planet Labs PBC, Associated Press (AP) reported that Iran was digging tunnels into the Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā. Pickaxe, a peak in the mountains surrounding Natanz, is over 5,000 feet high. Iran has dug four entrances into the mountainside – two on the eastern side and two on the western side. Each tunnel entrance is six meters in width and eight meters tall, as per AP. Fordow, considered the 'crown jewels' of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme , has only two tunnel entrances. Reports say that Iran's facility beneath the Pickaxe Mountain could be built at a depth of 100 metres, compared with Fordow's 60-90 metres depth. This would reduce the effectiveness of the US' bunker buster bomb, which was developed to target underground facilities. After Western intelligence exposed Iran's secretly built Fordow nuclear facility in 2009, the US built the GBU-57 bomb, which can penetrate at least 60 meters (200 feet) of earth before detonating. This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows dirt over the underground Natanz enrichment facility in Iran before US strikes, Sunday, June 15, 2025. AP 'So the depth of the facility is a concern because it would be much harder for us. It would be much harder to destroy using conventional weapons, such as like a typical bunker buster bomb,' Steven De La Fuente, a research associate at James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, told AP in 2023. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Experts worry that, given the size of the project at Pickaxe Mountain, Iran could use the facility not just to build centrifuges but also to enrich uranium. ALSO READ: Amid shaky truce, where is Iran's enriched uranium enough to make 10 nuclear bombs? Did Iran shift nuclear material to Pickaxe Mountain? Despite Trump's claim that American attacks 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear facilities, evidence suggests otherwise. A leaked initial classified assessment reportedly found that the US strike set Iran's nuclear programme back by only months at most. 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They are telling us, it's none of your business,' he said. Grossi said it 'cannot be excluded' that the tunnels would contain undeclared material. Experts have raised an alarm that Iran is likely increasing its enriched uranium production at the Pickaxe facility. This site could be more secure than the other facilities attacked by the US and Israel, The Sun reported, ciitng experts. Ben Taleblu, of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told the Financial Times: 'A key question is whether Iran will, or maybe already has, secreted fissile material into Pickaxe or some other unknown facility.' According to the Institute for Science and International Security, Iran could 'secretly deploy several thousand advanced centrifuges in the new tunnel complex' at Pickaxe mountain. This would allow Iran to continue its enrichment activities even if known facilities were destroyed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Hans India
11 minutes ago
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Gujarat AAP's Makwana resigns from all posts; alleges bias against OBCs
Ahmedabad: Botad MLA Umesh Makwana has announced his resignation from all positions within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat, accusing the party of discrimination against members of the OBCs. However, he clarified that he is not resigning from his MLA seat. Makwana submitted his resignation from the posts of AAP's Gujarat Assembly Whip as well as the party's National Joint Secretary, stating that his decision was based on long-standing internal bias within the party's structure. 'The Aam Aadmi Party, like the BJP and Congress, has shown step-motherly treatment to the people of the Backward Classes,' Makwana said in a statement. 'All political parties, without exception, have been unfair to OBC communities,' he added. Makwana, who has been one of AAP's more prominent OBC faces in Gujarat, claimed that despite repeated attempts to raise concerns over representation and internal equity, his voice was ignored. On this, AAP's Isudan Gadhvi posted, 'Umesh Makwana is suspended from the party for five years for anti-party and anti-Gujarat activities.' Makwana, a from Bhavnagar University, is a social worker and philanthropist, known locally for establishing primary and secondary schools. He is also known for distributing over 600,000 food packets during the COVID‑19 lockdown along with other AAP MLAs under the 'Manavta Seva Rath' initiative. Belonging to the Koli community, he runs a construction and general trading business, and declared assets worth around Rs 85 lakh with liabilities of Rs 28 lakh in his 2022 election affidavit. High on civic engagement, his legislative record shows nearly 97 per cent attendance and 24 Assembly debates, far above state averages. Political observers believe this move could trigger tensions within AAP's Gujarat unit, which is still building its grassroots presence in the state. Makwana's exit from organisational roles is being seen as a blow to the party's efforts to consolidate OBC support ahead of future electoral battles. Makwana's continued position as a sitting MLA may indicate his intention to either remain as an Independent or align with another party in the near future. Meanwhile, the AAP delivered a strong electoral performance by retaining the Visavadar Assembly seat in Gujarat's bypolls held on June 19, with senior leader Gopal Italia defeating the BJP's Kirit Patel by a margin of 17,554 votes (75,942 to 58,388).
