Why Mojtaba Khamenei Did Not Attend His Father's Funeral

The funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been underway, but his son and successor, new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, has been conspicuously absent from the public mourning. While three of Ali Khamenei’s other sons—Mostafa, Meysam, and Masoud—were seen praying before the coffin at the Mosalla in Tehran, Mojtaba has not appeared in public since his appointment.

According to a report by The New York Times, his absence is likely due to security threats from Israel. Analysts suggest that appearing in public would make the new Supreme Leader a high-value target and project an image of vulnerability at a time when the state is trying to demonstrate resilience and strength. This follows reports from the US Defense Secretary that Mojtaba was likely injured in the same attack that killed his father.

During the funeral proceedings, poet Mohammad Rasouli delivered a fiery eulogy addressed to the late Ayatollah Khamenei, calling for the deaths of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The crowds responded with chants of “Revenge, revenge” and “No compromise, no surrender, only revenge.”