Khamenei’s Inner Circle Shaken by Deadly Israeli Airstrikes

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

Photo: Reuters

Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has recently lost several of his top military and security advisers because of airstrikes carried out by Israel. This has created big gaps in his close group of advisers and increased the chance of mistakes in Iran’s important decisions, especially about defense and internal security, according to five people who know how Khamenei makes decisions.

One source, who often attends meetings with Khamenei, said the risk of making wrong decisions about Iran’s defense and stability is now “extremely dangerous.”

Since last Friday, many senior military leaders have been killed. This includes some of Khamenei’s main advisers from the Revolutionary Guards, which is Iran’s elite military force. The commanders killed include Hossein Salami, the overall leader of the Guards; Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who was in charge of Iran’s missile program; and Mohammad Kazemi, the top spy leader.

These men were part of Khamenei’s small inner circle of about 15 to 20 advisers. This group includes Guards commanders, religious leaders, and politicians. The sources, who either attend or have attended Khamenei’s important meetings, said this group meets whenever Khamenei calls them to his home in Tehran to discuss major decisions. All members are very loyal to Khamenei and strongly believe in the Islamic Republic’s ideas.

Khamenei himself was jailed before Iran’s 1979 revolution and was injured in a bomb attack before he became the leader in 1989. He is very committed to keeping Iran’s Islamic government system and deeply mistrusts the West.

In Iran’s government, Khamenei has the highest power over the armed forces. He can declare war and choose or remove top military leaders and judges. While he listens to advice from his team, he makes the final decision on important matters.

One expert, Alex Vatanka from the Middle East Institute, said, “Khamenei is very stubborn but also very careful. That is why he has stayed in power for so long.” He added that Khamenei’s main goal is to keep his regime safe and survive.

Khamenei has often used the Revolutionary Guards and its connected militia, the Basij, to control protests inside Iran in the years 1999, 2009, and 2022. Although these forces have managed to stop protests and keep the government in power, ongoing Western sanctions have caused economic problems that may lead to unrest in the future.

The situation is very serious now because Khamenei faces a rising conflict with Israel. Israel has attacked Iranian nuclear and military sites with airstrikes, and Iran has responded with missile attacks. The people close to Khamenei said this conflict is very tense.

Despite the losses from Israel’s airstrikes, Khamenei still has important advisers who focus on political, economic, and diplomatic issues. These advisers help him manage many parts of Iran’s government, including the military, culture, politics, and economy.

Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, has become a key figure over the last 20 years. He plays a central role in coordinating between different groups inside Iran and has built strong ties with the Revolutionary Guards. Some insiders think Mojtaba could succeed his father one day.

Other powerful figures around Khamenei include Ali Asghar Hejazi, a top intelligence official, and Mohammad Golpayegani, who leads Khamenei’s office. Former foreign ministers Ali Akbar Velayati and Kamal Kharazi, and former parliament speaker Ali Larijani, are also trusted advisers, especially on Iran’s nuclear issues and domestic policies.

Losing top Revolutionary Guards commanders is a big blow to a military force that Khamenei has relied on since he became leader. The Guards answer directly to him, not to the elected president. They receive the best military equipment and have a strong role in the government.

Right now, Khamenei is in a very difficult position. His close advisers in the region have also suffered losses. For example, Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was close to Khamenei, was killed by an Israeli airstrike last year, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was removed by rebels in December.

All these events leave Khamenei more isolated during a critical time in Iran’s history. The risks for Iran’s defense, internal peace, and political future are now higher than ever.