Mojtaba Khamenei Expresses Gratitude to the Public Following Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Funeral
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has expressed his appreciation to the people of Iran and Iraq who participated in the series of tributes and funeral processions for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last week. The message was conveyed through his elder brother, Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Mostafa Khamenei, during a memorial event held in Tehran on Tuesday (14/7).
In his address, Hojjatoleslam Khamenei offered condolences to the Muslim community, the people of Iran, and Imam Mahdi (AJ) on the passing of his father. He described the loss as a great calamity that requires steadfastness and patience from the entire society. Quoting a verse from the Qur’an, he reminded attendees of the importance of patience in the face of trials, stating that patience does not mean surrendering to circumstances but rather remaining firm in the struggle on the straight path until the believed goal is achieved.
He further asserted that such patience does not conflict with seeking accountability from those deemed responsible for the tragedy. The memorial service was held at the Mosalla Mosque in Tehran and was attended by thousands of mourners who gathered to remember Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Although he presided over the ceremony, Mojtaba Khamenei once again did not appear directly before the public. Since being designated as his father’s successor, he has never made a public appearance, with all official messages delivered through representatives or written statements.
The ceremony was also attended by senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, high-ranking military officers, ambassadors, foreign diplomats, and three other sons of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The memorial took place five days after the funeral procession of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the Imam Reza Shrine Complex in Mashhad, his hometown in northeastern Iran. Prior to the burial, his body was taken in a series of public tributes lasting five days across Tehran, Qom, and several areas in Iraq, with millions of mourners reportedly participating to pay their final respects to the cleric who served as a marja’ al-taqlid, or source of emulation, for Muslims for decades.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed along with four family members and several senior Iranian military officials in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on 28 February. The attack was said to have targeted the Supreme Leader’s office in central Tehran. His death sparked widespread condemnation and triggered retaliatory military operations by Iran against US and Israeli targets in the Middle East, subsequently broadening the conflict to involve several Arab nations hosting American military bases. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since June 1989, succeeding the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini, and for more than three decades played a central role in shaping Iran’s political, security, and strategic policies.