Iran opened a six-day funeral procession for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday, nearly four months after his death. The New York Times reports that security officials denied current Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's request to attend the burial, citing assassination fears.
Iran began a six-day funeral procession for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday, with his body arriving at a prepared site in Tehran. The event, nearly four months after his death in the opening strike of the US-Israel war in March, follows months of preparations. The procession is scheduled to move through several cities before burial in Mashhad, where foreign delegations have gathered to pay respects.
Earlier on Saturday, at 12:32 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported initial claims that security officials had blocked Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei from attending his father's funeral over assassination fears. The story evolved rapidly: by 13:20 Jerusalem, The Zioneer published an article confirming the barring, and by 20:55 Jerusalem, The New York Times corroborated the account, citing security officials who denied Mojtaba's request to attend the burial. The initial reports, attributed to a single source via ynet, were later backed by multiple outlets, with the NYT on-record confirmation solidifying the story.
As The Zioneer reported on July 1, Tehran had completed preparations for the multi-city funeral, and on July 3, ceremonies began at the Mosalla complex with foreign delegations arriving. The denial of Mojtaba Khamenei's attendance underscores the ongoing security threats facing Iran's leadership, even during a ceremonial event.
The exact whereabouts of Mojtaba Khamenei remain unclear, and the regime continues to maintain strict security measures. The funeral procession is ongoing, and further developments are expected as the burial in Mashhad approaches on Thursday.
8 developments
- StrongIranian economic activist claims Mojtaba Khamenei will attend father's funeral
- StrongIran's supreme leader likely to skip father's funeral, citing security fears
- StrongIsraeli security analyst: Khamenei funeral provides 'food for thought' for Mossad chief
- DevelopingIranian Jewish community leader says he sent letter to Khamenei son after anti-Jewish statements
Source and signal
- Internal intake