The funeral of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei began in Iran on Friday. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, his son and successor, has not appeared at any ceremonies, deepening questions about whether he is alive, according to analyst Yair Goldblatt. The funeral is expected to last several days.
Funeral ceremonies for the late Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, began this afternoon in Tehran, with the body reportedly arriving at the prepared site. The funeral is expected to continue for several days, drawing foreign delegations from around the world.
The conspicuous absence of his son and successor, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, is the focus of intense speculation. Analyst Yair Goldblatt noted his absence raises the question of whether Khamenei is alive or dead, and whether Iranian authorities are playing a strategic game of uncertainty. As The Zioneer reported earlier Friday, posters mocking Khamenei's absence were placed near the funeral complex, reading: 'Is it too dangerous for you to come to my funeral?'
The absence follows a pattern: The Zioneer previously reported that Khamenei did not attend his wife's funeral and burial on July 2, and that Iranian officials cited security fears as the reason he would likely skip his father's funeral. A single unverified claim by an Iranian economic activist suggested he would attend, but that has not materialized. The question of Khamenei's fate remains open, with no official confirmation from Iranian sources.
3 developments
- DevelopingIranian channel reports Mojtaba Khamenei did not attend wife's funeral and burial
- StrongIran's supreme leader likely to skip father's funeral, citing security fears
- StrongIranian economic activist claims Mojtaba Khamenei will attend father's funeral
- DevelopingIran's top three leaders attend Khamenei's funeral, N12 reports
Source and signal
- Internal intake