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Iran’s Shadow Government: Khamenei’s “Bayt” Serves as Hidden Nerve Center of Regime
A groundbreaking report reveals that Iran’s true power structure lies not in its visible government but in a shadow apparatus designed to maintain regime control even if Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei disappears from public view.
The report, “Unmasking the Bayt: Inside the Supreme Leader’s Office,” published by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and authored by Saeid Golkar and Kasra Aarabi, describes the Bayt as a vast institutional network embedded throughout Iran’s military, economy, religious institutions and bureaucracy.
“It is the hidden nerve center of the regime in Iran… it operates as a state within a state,” Aarabi told Fox News Digital in an interview.
According to Aarabi, this elaborate system allows Khamenei to oversee and influence decision-making at every level of the Islamic Republic, including nuclear policy, war planning, and internal security operations.
“This is what gives Khamenei absolute control. It’s not the visible state, this is the invisible state,” he explained.
The report estimates approximately 4,000 people operate within the Bayt’s core structure, with tens of thousands more working through affiliated institutions across the country. “There’s around 4,000 close employees… think of them as commissars… the real policymakers,” Aarabi said. “Beyond that, the Bayt’s umbrella has 40,000 individuals working for it… entrenched at every single layer of policy, every single state entity.”
At the top of the Bayt sits a tightly controlled inner circle, including Khamenei’s sons, particularly Mojtaba Khamenei, who is described as operating like a “mini-supreme leader” within his father’s office. This structure extends directly into Iran’s military chain of command, with senior promotions requiring approval from the Supreme Leader’s office. Parallel counterintelligence bodies monitor loyalty across the armed forces.
The Bayt also plays a decisive role in nuclear negotiations and wartime decision-making, ensuring ultimate authority remains concentrated around the supreme leader. The network effectively duplicates state ministries inside Khamenei’s office, allowing direct oversight and ideological enforcement across government agencies, universities, and cultural institutions.
The report further outlines how the Bayt maintains regime durability through control of the economy, religious institutions, and the education system. Networks of foundations and conglomerates tied to the supreme leader oversee major sectors of Iran’s economy, while clerical institutions, universities, and cultural bodies are monitored by embedded representatives tasked with enforcing ideological compliance and suppressing dissent.
“Think of the Bayt as the nucleus of the core power of the regime,” Aarabi said.
These findings come amid renewed speculation about Khamenei’s health and reduced public visibility, as well as growing regional tensions and the possibility of military confrontation involving Iran. However, Aarabi pushed back on suggestions that Khamenei’s absence from public appearances signals weakening authority or internal fragmentation.
“We saw this during the 12-day war… even if he is hiding in a bunker, he is in full control. The Bayt has been tightening Khamenei’s grip on power,” he explained.
The structure was deliberately built to function even without the supreme leader physically present. “Even if he is eliminated, the Bayt as an institution enables the supreme leader to function,” Aarabi said. “Think of the supreme leader as an institution rather than just a single individual.”
The report places the Bayt at the top of Iran’s power hierarchy, above the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the formal government. “The Bayt is the core apparatus… the strategic policymaking body that is driving the ballistic missile program, the nuclear program, and regional destabilization,” Aarabi noted.
The implications are significant for policymakers in Washington and across the region, particularly as the U.S. weighs options for confronting Iran’s nuclear program and regional activities. “Eliminating Khamenei in isolation on its own is not enough… you have to dismantle this extensive apparatus that he has created,” Aarabi emphasized.
Any effort to weaken the regime would require targeting the broader institutional structure surrounding the supreme leader, not just the individual at its center. “It involves a comprehensive strategy… cyber operations, sanctions, and a military component,” he said. “For any meaningful change in Iran… you have to go after the core nucleus of power within the Islamic regime, and that is the Bayt.”
Aarabi concluded that “the elimination of Khamenei alone is not enough… dismantling the extensive apparatus of the Bayt is essential.”
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8 Comments
This hidden power structure within Iran sounds like a concerning example of authoritarian control. It’s worrying to see the Supreme Leader exerting such deep influence over the country’s decision-making. I wonder how this impacts the Iranian people and their access to information.
You’re right, this level of opaque control by the Supreme Leader is very troubling. It highlights the need for more openness and democratic reforms in Iran to empower the citizens.
The Bayt system described in this report sounds like a concerning example of how Iran’s government operates. It’s troubling to see the Supreme Leader wielding such vast, unchecked control through this opaque network. More scrutiny of these practices is needed.
Wow, 4,000 people operating in this shadow government network? That’s an astounding number. It really demonstrates the lengths the regime will go to maintain their grip on power. I hope this report brings more international scrutiny to Iran’s undemocratic practices.
Fascinating insights into the hidden workings of Iran’s regime. This extensive shadow network highlights the authoritarian nature of the government and its efforts to consolidate power. I hope this report encourages greater international monitoring of Iran’s actions.
Fascinating report on Iran’s secretive shadow government under Khamenei. It’s concerning to see how the regime has consolidated power through this extensive network. Transparency and accountability are crucial for any government.
This report sheds important light on the true power structures in Iran. It’s alarming to see how the Supreme Leader has created this elaborate system to control all aspects of the state. Transparency and accountability should be priorities for any legitimate government.
This report provides a rare look into the inner workings of Iran’s regime. The scale of the shadow government network is staggering and clearly demonstrates the authoritarian nature of the system. Transparency and democratic reforms should be priorities moving forward.