Three sons of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were seen attending his funeral in Tehran, while his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, was notably absent from the public ceremony.
State television broadcast images of Mostafa, Meysam, and Masoud Khamenei standing beside their father’s coffin during funeral prayers. The ceremony was attended by senior government officials, military commanders, religious scholars, and tens of thousands of mourners who gathered to pay their final respects.
The funeral took place at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, where crowds waved Iranian flags, carried portraits of the late leader, and chanted slogans in support of the Islamic Republic. The event marked one of the largest public gatherings in Iran since Khamenei’s death and formed part of several days of national mourning.
Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed as Iran’s new Supreme Leader following his father’s death, did not appear at the funeral. Iranian authorities have not issued an official explanation for his absence. However, several international media reports suggested that heightened security concerns and injuries reportedly sustained during the same attack that killed the late leader may have prevented him from attending the public ceremony. These reports have not been independently confirmed by Iranian officials.
The funeral was attended by prominent political and religious figures from across the country, while messages of condolence continued to arrive from several governments and organizations. Memorial events are expected to continue in different cities across Iran before the late leader is laid to rest.
Although Mojtaba Khamenei was absent from the funeral, officials are expected to announce his first public appearance as the country’s new Supreme Leader in the coming days, as Iran begins a new chapter under its highest religious and political authority.
