Khamenei sons attend Tehran funeral as Mojtaba stays out of sight
Iranian TV showed three of Ali Khamenei’s sons at funeral prayers in Tehran, while successor Mojtaba Khamenei remained absent amid reported security concerns.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Three sons of Iran’s former supreme leader Ali Khamenei appeared at funeral prayers in Tehran on Sunday, while his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, remained out of public view. Al Jazeera and The Associated Press reported that Mojtaba has not been seen or heard publicly since he was appointed supreme leader in March.
Iranian state television showed Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud Khamenei praying near coffins at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, Al Jazeera reported. The remains on display included Ali Khamenei, his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and 14-month-old granddaughter, according to Al Jazeera and AP.
Al Jazeera reported that the family members were killed in a Feb. 28 air strike on the first day of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran. The outlet said Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence from mourning events is believed to be tied to Israeli threats against his life, and that analysts have described his disappearance from public view as a security measure.
The funeral is part of a week of state-led mourning for Khamenei, Al Jazeera reported. His body is due to be taken through Shia holy sites including Karbala and Najaf in Iraq, as well as Qom and Mashhad in Iran, where he is scheduled to be buried on July 9.
Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi reported from Tehran that large numbers of mourners were passing through the site carrying Iranian flags and red flags associated with calls for revenge. He said chants against the United States and Israel could be heard in the crowd.
The AP quoted Gholamreza Sabooni, a 29-year-old grocery worker, as saying he had come “to shout and seek revenge” and calling for the killing of U.S. President Donald Trump. Al Jazeera reported that the prayer ceremony drew large crowds amid heightened regional tensions and demands for retaliation against Washington and Israel.
After a private lying-in-state attended by senior Iranian officials and foreign dignitaries, Khamenei’s coffin was placed outdoors under a glass enclosure on Saturday, Al Jazeera reported. Senior figures at the ceremony included President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, according to the outlet.
Iran’s metro authority reported about seven million passenger journeys from late Saturday to Sunday morning, Al Jazeera said. The government also planned a central Tehran procession on Monday and further large gatherings, with transport, food and lodging offered to mourners, according to Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud Abdelwahed described the mood in Tehran as one of mourning and reflection, with some people expressing support for the establishment. He reported that some mourners hoped the leadership transition would bring stability, while others were preparing for another confrontation.
Mostafa Khoshcheshm, a professor at the University of Applied Science and Technology in Tehran, told Al Jazeera that mourners were sending a clear message that Iranians remained wary of the United States and Israel. He said they did not believe hostility from Washington and Israel had ended.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.