Mojtaba Khamenei remains absent as Iran continues funeral rites for late Supreme Leader

Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, was again absent on the second day of the state funeral ceremonies for his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, fuelling continued speculation over his whereabouts and health condition.

State funeral events continued on Sunday with large crowds attending mass prayers, where three of Ali Khamenei’s sons, Masoud, Meysam and Mostafa, were present.

However, Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Supreme Leader, did not appear at the ceremony.

Mojtaba has not been seen publicly since he was reportedly seriously injured during the opening US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, an attack that also claimed the lives of his father, his wife and one of his sons.

His continued absence comes a day after reports indicated that he did not attend a memorial service held in Tehran for his late wife.

According to a report by The New York Times, citing two unnamed members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a person involved in organising the funeral, Mojtaba Khamenei is expected to attend his father’s burial in Mashhad on Thursday to perform the final funeral rites.

However, the report said security officials have so far prevented him from appearing in public due to fears that he could become a target for another Israeli attack during the high-profile ceremonies.

Iran has continued week-long funeral observances for the late Supreme Leader amid heightened security, with thousands of mourners, government officials and foreign dignitaries participating in events across the country.

The burial ceremony is scheduled to take place in Mashhad, one of Iran’s holiest cities.