US sees signs of increased activity from Iran's supreme leader

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has observed indications of heightened engagement from Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. Rubio conveyed this assessment on Tuesday during a session with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He also affirmed his certainty that Khamenei remains alive, despite the leader's absence from public view since his appointment.

Rubio suggested that internal recommendations might discourage Khamenei from extensive public appearances, especially considering recent events affecting other leaders within the Iranian system. "But that said, I think there are signs out there that he is increasingly involved at some level, even though all his communication has been written and through intermediaries," Rubio stated, according to Sky News.

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With regard to what has happened to several leaders in the system, I can imagine that it is not recommended internally to be very public.

Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed supreme leader on March 8, succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who reportedly died in U.S.-Israeli attacks on February 28. The younger Khamenei's lack of public appearances has fueled speculation about his well-being. The New York Times, citing anonymous Iranian officials, reported that he sustained serious injuries in the alleged attacks but remains mentally sharp. The newspaper noted that he has avoided issuing video or audio messages to avoid appearing weak or vulnerable in his initial role as leader.

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But that said, I think there are signs out there that he is increasingly involved at some level, even though all his communication has been written and through intermediaries.