The New York Times reported Saturday that Iranian security officials barred Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei from attending the burial of his father, the late Ali Khamenei, citing concerns that Israel would track and assassinate him. The report adds a specific Israeli dimension to earlier accounts of the leader's absence from the funeral.
The New York Times reported Saturday evening that Iranian security officials barred Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei from the burial of his father, the late Ali Khamenei, out of fear that Israel would assassinate him. The newspaper, citing unnamed security officials, said the decision aimed to prevent Israel from tracking the new leader's location. The report adds a specific Israeli dimension to earlier accounts of Khamenei's absence from the funeral.
The thread unfolded Saturday beginning at 12:32 Jerusalem, when The Zioneer first reported that Khamenei had expressed a desire to attend the funeral but security officials opposed the move, citing a single source. By 12:32, subsequent reports confirmed he would not attend, citing fears of Israeli assassination or tracking. The New York Times then reported that security officials had denied Khamenei's request to recite the prayer over his father's body, again citing Israeli threats. The latest NYT dispatch explicitly names Israel as the threat, consolidating the earlier reports. The six-day funeral procession began at 12:32 Jerusalem.
As The Zioneer reported on July 2, Khamenei also did not attend his wife's funeral, and Iran's representative to India had said security concerns would prevent him from attending his father's funeral. The succession has been marked by heightened security, with Iran reportedly attempting to bar Houthi leaders from the funeral, as The Zioneer reported on July 3.
The NYT report is based on a single source, and the details remain unconfirmed by Iranian authorities. The new leader's whereabouts and the full extent of security measures around him remain unclear.
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
- StrongMojtaba Khamenei's office sets memorial ceremony for father for Tuesday in Tehran, after written threat
- StrongUnverified reports: Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei appeared at father's funeral events
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