Mojtaba Khamenei: Successor Absent from Ali Khamenei’s State Funeral
Senior Iranian leaders attend large-scale funeral ceremonies in Tehran as the absence of the supreme leader’s son fuels speculation.
Thousands gather in Tehran for the state funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Mojtaba Khamenei was notably absent from the state funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as senior government officials and large crowds gathered in Tehran to pay their final respects.
Ali Khamenei’s three other sons—Masoud, Mostafa, and Meysam—attended the funeral service alongside Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Revolutionary Guards chief Ahmad Vahidi, and other senior officials. Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence has intensified speculation about his condition after reports suggested he may have been injured during the recent US-Israel strikes that killed his father. Iranian authorities have not confirmed those reports.
Official funeral ceremonies began on Friday and will continue across Iran and Iraq throughout the week. Authorities expect between 12 million and 20 million people to participate in what officials have described as the “funeral of the century.”
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The late supreme leader’s body is lying in state at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex, where prominent Shia cleric Jafar Sobhani led funeral prayers. Sunday was declared a public holiday to allow mourners to attend the ceremonies before a public procession through Tehran and the burial later this week in Mashhad.
The funeral is taking place amid heightened regional tensions following the recent conflict between Iran and Israel. Although a fragile ceasefire remains in place, both countries have warned they are prepared to resume military operations if negotiations fail.
US President Donald Trump said peace discussions had been temporarily paused during the funeral period. His comments about public mourning drew criticism from attendees, many of whom rejected suggestions that expressions of grief were insincere.
Large crowds at the ceremony also chanted anti-US and anti-Israel slogans, while some participants carried banners directed at President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Authorities enforced extensive security measures as millions gathered across Tehran, with medical teams treating thousands of attendees for heat-related issues. Officials reported no fatalities linked to the funeral events.
Ali Khamenei led Iran from 1989 until his death and shaped the country’s domestic and foreign policies for more than three decades. His funeral marks one of the largest public gatherings in Iran in recent history.
