Why Didn’t Mojtaba Khamenei Attend His Father’s Funeral?
News Desk
Tehran: Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, did not attend the funeral ceremonies of his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, due to heightened security concerns, according to a report by The New York Times.
The newspaper, citing Iranian officials involved in organizing the funeral, reported that Mojtaba Khamenei had wished to attend the burial ceremony in Mashhad.
However, Iranian security authorities reportedly advised against his participation, fearing that Israel could attempt to target him during the public event.
His absence from the funeral has sparked widespread speculation about his public appearance and security arrangements.
According to the report, Mojtaba Khamenei’s family suffered a personal tragedy at the outset of the recent conflict, when his wife and son were reportedly killed in an Israeli strike. They were buried earlier this week, but Mojtaba was also unable to attend those funeral rites because of security concerns.
The report further noted that Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since March this year.
Meanwhile, senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the head of the judiciary, and top commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), attended the condolence ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran.
The funeral ceremonies began on Friday at Tehran’s Mosalla Mosque, where the coffins of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family members were draped in the Iranian flag and decorated with black mourning cloths.
Thousands of mourners gathered outside the mosque, while Iranian state media reported that mourning music was played during the ceremony. The funeral procession is scheduled to continue through next week before concluding with Ayatollah Khamenei’s burial in Mashhad on July 9.
Note: The claims regarding Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence and the reasons behind it are based on reporting by The New York Times citing unnamed Iranian officials and have not been independently verified.
