Three sons of Iran’s martyred Supreme Leader appeared at his funeral prayers in Tehran, while his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, remained absent from all public ceremonies. State television showed Mostafa, Meysam, and Masoud Khamenei standing beside their father’s coffin during the funeral, but no official images or public appearance of Mojtaba were released.
The funeral ceremonies continued at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, where the coffins of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and four members of his family were placed before thousands of mourners. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also joined the funeral prayers, while large crowds gathered throughout the night to pay their final respects.
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Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have not explained Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence, although earlier reports claimed he was injured in the February 28 attack that killed his father and several family members. The funeral also honored Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and 14-month-old granddaughter, whose coffins were displayed alongside his during the public ceremonies.
Authorities have planned a week of funeral processions across Iran before taking Khamenei’s remains to important religious sites in Iraq. After a major procession in Tehran, the body will travel to Qom, followed by ceremonies in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, before returning to Mashhad for burial near the shrine of a revered imam.
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Iranian officials expect millions of people to participate in the remaining funeral events and have arranged transportation, accommodation, and food for mourners. The Tehran Metro reported around seven million passenger journeys between Saturday night and Sunday morning as large crowds travelled to the capital, while officials said diplomatic engagements, including planned peace discussions, were temporarily delayed because of the funeral ceremonies.