Three Sons of Slain Khamenei Attend Funeral as Iran’s New Supreme Leader Stays Away
Three sons of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared at his funeral prayers in Tehran on Sunday, while his successor and son, Mojtaba Khamenei, remained absent from the public ceremonies, prompting fresh speculation over his condition.
State television broadcast images of Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud Khamenei praying beside the coffins of their father and four other family members at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla. Ayatollah Khamenei and several relatives were killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28 during the conflict that engulfed Iran earlier this year.
The funeral marked the start of a week-long series of state-organised ceremonies honouring the late leader, whose remains will be taken to major Shiite religious sites in Iran and Iraq before his burial.
Mojtaba Khamenei Remains Out of Public View
There was no public appearance by Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Iran’s supreme leader following his death.
Iranian authorities have released no recent photographs or video of Mojtaba since the February attack. People familiar with his inner circle have said he suffered serious facial injuries and significant wounds to one or both legs during the strike.
His absence was keenly felt by many mourners gathered at the ceremony.
“Until the last moment, before the prayer began, I kept telling those around me that I hoped he himself would come. That was our only wish,” a young woman attending the funeral told the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Thousands Pay Final Respects
Tens of thousands of mourners, including members of the armed forces, religious scholars and civilians, gathered at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla to offer prayers.
On Saturday, Khamenei’s coffin had been placed on public display under a glass enclosure alongside those of his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and 14-month-old granddaughter after senior Iranian officials and foreign dignitaries attended a lying-in-state ceremony.
President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf joined Sunday’s prayers, while television footage showed Masoud Khamenei breaking down in tears during the ceremony.
Funeral Procession to Continue Across Iran and Iraq
Authorities have planned several days of funeral processions across Iran before Khamenei’s remains are taken to the Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala in Iraq.
After a procession through central Tehran on Monday, the coffin will travel to Qom before being flown to Iraq for religious ceremonies. It will then return to Iran for a final procession in Mashhad, where Khamenei will be buried near the shrine of one of Shiite Islam’s revered Imams.
The funeral comes weeks after Iran’s conflict with the United States and Israel ended in a fragile ceasefire following months of fighting that left thousands dead and caused widespread destruction across the country.
Comments are closed.