Khamenei’s other sons appear at his funeral as Iran’s new supreme leader remains in hiding

The funeral ceremonies for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei entered a new phase Sunday as Iran’s political and military establishment gathered in Tehran to project an image of resilience. While thousands of mourners packed the Imam Khomeini Mosalla to honor the leader killed in a February 28 airstrike, the continued absence of his successor, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, remains a focal point of intense speculation and security concerns.

The ongoing proceedings are described by state media and observers as a massive logistical undertaking, intended to signal that the Islamic Republic’s institutions remain intact despite the loss of dozens of senior officials during the months-long war with the United States and Israel.

Media additions

The Presence and Absence of Leadership

Sunday’s prayers were led by 97-year-old cleric Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani. The gathering provided a rare public view of key figures, including the late leader’s sons—Masoud, Meysam, and Mostafa, who had not been seen since the onset of the war. They were joined by President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, and Revolutionary Guard leaders including Esmail Qaani and Gen. Ahmad Vahidi.

However, the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, remained in hiding. Reports from Aol and other outlets indicate that officials are wary of exposing the new leader to potential assassination attempts, particularly after Israeli officials previously designated him as a target. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted in March that the new leader sustained severe injuries during the strike that claimed his family’s lives, a factor experts suggest may also be contributing to his continued seclusion.

According to Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, avoiding a public appearance allows the state to manage the optics of the transition. Avoiding a public appearance also prevents projecting an image of vulnerability at a moment when the state is trying to project resilience, unity, and strength, she stated via AOL.

Escalating Rhetoric and Regional Context

The mourning events have served as a platform for open calls for retaliation. During the ceremonies, poet Mohammad Rasouli led the crowd in chants targeting U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is a disgrace for us if we do not kill your killer, Rasouli said, addressing the late leader’s body. Similar sentiments were echoed by mourners like Gholamreza Sabooni, who told AP News, They killed our imam. We should kill their leader, Trump.

This defiance occurs against a backdrop of stalled peace negotiations. Maritime traffic near the Strait of Hormuz remains below prewar levels, with a U.S.-led maritime body reporting that the threat level in the region is still considered substantial.

What to Watch Next

The funeral proceedings are slated to continue through Thursday, involving a complex schedule of movements across both Iran and Iraq:

• Monday: A 6-mile procession is scheduled through central Tehran, moving from Imam Hossein Square to Azadi Square.
• Intermediate Days: The body is expected to be taken for further ceremonies in the holy city of Qom and then transported to the Shiite holy sites in Najaf and Karbala, Iraq.
• July 9: The final burial is set to take place at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, the late leader's birthplace.

As the funeral shifts from Tehran to the provinces and across borders, the central question of whether Mojtaba Khamenei will emerge remains unresolved.