Iran deploys elite unit to guard new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei after father’s killing

The strike, reportedly carried out under an operation referred to as Operation Epic Fury, is said to have killed the elder Khamenei along with several members of his family during attacks on February 28.

Reports also claimed Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in the strike that killed his father and other relatives.

However, a senior Iranian figure has dismissed those claims, saying the new Supreme Leader is “safe and sound”. Mojtaba Khamenei, who was declared Supreme Leader on Sunday, has not yet addressed the nation or issued any public statement since his appointment.

According to a report by Fox News, Iran has tasked its elite Counterterrorism Special Force — widely known as NOPO — with protecting the 56-year-old cleric as he remains out of public view.

The report cited Ali Safavi of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, who said the unit was historically responsible for the security of the former Supreme Leader and would now likely be assigned to his successor.

“With Khamenei gone, NOPO will likely now be protecting Mojtaba Khamenei,” Safavi was quoted as saying.

What is NOPO?

The NOPO force, established in 1991, is an elite Iranian police special unit under the country’s Special Units Command. The name is derived from the Persian phrase Nirouyeh Vijeh Pasdaran Velayat, meaning “Special Force to Protect the Supreme Leader”.

Although officially tasked with counterterrorism operations such as hostage rescue, the unit has frequently been deployed during periods of domestic unrest.

Rights groups and critics have accused the force of playing a major role in suppressing protests, including the 1999 student protests, the nationwide unrest in 2019, and demonstrations following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.

Safavi claimed the force is composed of six brigades — four based in Tehran and two stationed in the cities of Mashhad and Isfahan — and described it as one of the most highly trained and loyal security units in the country.

Questions over the new leader’s whereabouts

The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s third Supreme Leader was confirmed on March 8 by the Assembly of Experts.

Despite the confirmation, questions remain about his location and condition.

Earlier reports from The New York Times, citing Iranian officials, claimed he suffered injuries during the strike but remained conscious and was being sheltered at a secure location with restricted communications.

Those claims were later denied by Yousef Pezeshkian, son of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who said he had confirmed that Mojtaba Khamenei was unharmed.

“I heard news that Mr Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I asked friends who have connections and they told me, thank God, he is safe and sound,” he said in a message posted on Telegram.

Power shift inside Iran

According to a report by Reuters, the decision to elevate Mojtaba Khamenei was strongly backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Sources told the agency that the Guards viewed the younger Khamenei as more aligned with their hardline policies and pushed through the appointment despite reservations among some senior clerics and political figures.

Analysts say the development could strengthen the influence of the Revolutionary Guards within Iran’s political system and potentially push the country toward a more militarised governance structure.