The office of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has transferred its powers to the Supreme Leader’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, according to a report by Iranian journalist Mohamad Ahwaze.

Ahwaze, who posted the report on Twitter, stated that Iranian sources have confirmed the transfer of power to Khamenei’s son, adding that “those close to Khamenei, 81, are very concerned due to his health condition at theis time.”

Khamenei’s 51-year-old son, Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, who oversees several security and intelligence departments in Iran, has long been identified as a possible successor to his father.

2- تؤكد المصادر الإيرانية بأن مهام وصلاحيات مكتب المرشد خامنئي أنتقلت إلى نجله مجتبى خامنئي الذي يشرف على عدة دوائر أمنية وإستخباراتية في إيران .
( صورة مجتبى خامنئي مع سلمياني ) pic.twitter.com/JVDLC4Y3mB

— محمد مجيد الأحوازي (@MohamadAhwaze) December 5, 2020

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was scheduled to meet Khamenei on Friday but the meeting was canceled due to the deterioration in Khamenei’s condition, the report said.

Ahwaze added that it is unclear whether the deterioration is due to Khamenei’s bout with prostate cancer or something else, but his health has deteriorated and senior doctors from Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran have been summoned.

Khamenei, who has been in his position since 1989 following the death of Iran’s founder Ruhollah Khomenei, underwent prostate surgery in 2014.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)