Three sons of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared at his funeral prayers in Tehran on Sunday, while his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, was notably absent from the high-profile ceremony.
State television footage showed Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud Khamenei standing behind their father’s coffin during prayers at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla. Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named Iran’s new supreme leader following his father’s death, did not attend the event.
Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike in February, ending a leadership tenure that began in 1989. His funeral ceremonies began in Tehran this week and are expected to continue through July 9, when he is scheduled to be buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.
Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence has renewed questions over his condition and the extent of his public role since the strike. Iranian authorities have not publicly provided detailed information about his health. Several reports have cited security concerns as the reason for his limited public appearances, while online claims that he died, was in a coma, or suffered severe injuries have not been independently verified.
The transition has drawn close international attention because Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment marks a major moment for the Islamic Republic. His father led Iran for more than three decades and oversaw a political system that supported armed regional groups including Hamas and Hezbollah—organizations designated as terrorist groups by the United States and several other governments.
The funeral, attended by large crowds and senior Iranian officials, was also viewed as a public display of continuity for Iran’s leadership during a period of military tensions, internal uncertainty and regional instability.
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