Mojtaba Khamenei absent as Iran continues funeral rites for late Supreme Leader

Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, remained absent on the second day of state funeral ceremonies for his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, prompting continued speculation about his health and whereabouts.

 

Thousands of mourners attended Sunday’s funeral events, including mass prayers, where three of Ali Khamenei’s sons—Masoud, Meysam and Mostafa—were present.

 

However, Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Supreme Leader, did not attend the ceremony.

 

He has not appeared publicly since reportedly sustaining serious injuries during the opening US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, an attack that also killed his father, his wife and one of his sons.

 

His continued absence comes a day after reports indicated that he also missed a memorial service held in Tehran for his late wife.

 

According to The New York Times, citing two unnamed members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a person involved in organising the funeral, Mojtaba is expected to attend his father’s burial in Mashhad on Thursday to perform the final funeral rites.

 

The report said security officials have so far kept him away from public events over concerns that he could become a target of another Israeli attack during the high-profile funeral ceremonies.

 

Iran has continued week-long mourning activities under heightened security, with thousands of mourners, government officials and foreign dignitaries participating in events across the country.

 

The late Supreme Leader is scheduled to be buried in Mashhad, one of Iran’s holiest cities.