Story perspectives

U.S. intel: Mojtaba Khamenei favors nuclear weapons

7/25/2026

Center

Mojtaba Khamenei Accelerates Nuclear

U.S. intelligence agencies assess Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is more inclined to pursue nuclear weapons than his father.
Intelligence reports Iran has not resumed enrichment but is preserving centrifuge equipment by moving it to the underground Pickaxe Mountain complex.
The February strike that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly intensified Tehran’s nuclear drive.
Mojtaba Khamenei stays hidden after injury, avoiding appearances while favoring thermonuclear warheads for long-range missiles.

Left

Mojtaba Khamenei Nuclear

U.S. intelligence agencies say Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is more inclined to pursue nuclear weapons than his father.
The assessment links the heightened nuclear drive to the U.S.-Israeli war that killed former leader Ali Khamenei, warning broader regional security risks.
Mojtaba Khamenei and hard-line officials aim to develop advanced nuclear weapons.
His severe injury early in the conflict limits his public appearances.

Blindspot

U.S. intelligence says Iran has not restarted uranium enrichment but is preserving centrifuge equipment and moving it to the fortified underground Pickaxe Mountain complex.
Within this story's sources, this detail appears mainly in Center-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Left-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

The 2002 IAEA revelation of the secret Natanz enrichment plant sparked UN Security Council sanctions and a series of resolutions (e.g., 1696, 1737) that have constrained Iran’s centrifuge fleet, which fell to about 6,104 active units by 2015. Today, intelligence warns that Mojtaba Khamenei, succeeding Ali Khamenei, may push Tehran toward thermonuclear weapons, echoing the escalation fears that followed the 2002 disclosure.

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Mojtaba Khamenei Accelerates Nuclear

U.S. intelligence agencies assess Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is more inclined to pursue nuclear weapons than his father.
Intelligence reports Iran has not resumed enrichment but is preserving centrifuge equipment by moving it to the underground Pickaxe Mountain complex.
The February strike that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly intensified Tehran’s nuclear drive.
Mojtaba Khamenei stays hidden after injury, avoiding appearances while favoring thermonuclear warheads for long-range missiles.

1 / 4