Three sons of slain Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei joined funeral prayers beside his coffin in Tehran on Sunday, while his successor and son, Mojtaba Khamenei, remained absent from the public ceremony, fuelling speculation over his health following the February 28 airstrike that killed several members of the Khamenei family.
State television broadcast images of Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud Khamenei standing behind the coffins of their father and four other relatives inside the vast Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla complex. Among the deceased were Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and his 14-month-old granddaughter, all of whom were killed during the US-Israel strikes that marked the beginning of the conflict with Iran.
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The war lasted several weeks before a fragile ceasefire was reached, leaving widespread destruction across the region while Iran’s Islamic Republic remained in power under the backing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed the role of supreme leader following his father’s death, has not appeared publicly since the attack. According to people close to his inner circle, he suffered severe facial injuries and significant wounds to one or both legs during the strike.
His continued absence disappointed some mourners gathered for the funeral. Speaking to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, one woman said she had hoped the new supreme leader would attend the prayers. She described seeing him as her only wish before the ceremony began.
Iran has organised an elaborate week-long funeral procession to honour Ali Khamenei. After lying in state for senior officials and foreign dignitaries, the former supreme leader’s coffin was displayed outdoors under glass on Saturday before being taken to public prayers on Sunday. President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf joined thousands of mourners during the ceremony, while Masoud Khamenei was seen breaking down in tears as funeral prayers were recited.
Large crowds continued gathering at the Mosalla throughout the weekend, with many mourners crying and beating their chests in tribute. Iran’s metro network reported around seven million passenger trips between Saturday evening and Sunday morning as people travelled to central Tehran to participate in the ceremonies.
The funeral procession will continue across several religious cities. After a major procession in Tehran, Khamenei’s remains will be taken to Qom before travelling to the Iraqi shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala. The body will then return to Mashhad for burial near the shrine of a revered Shi’ite imam. Iranian authorities expect millions to participate in the remaining ceremonies, providing transport, food and accommodation for mourners throughout the week.
