Three sons of late Khamenei attend funeral, Mojtaba skips public appearance

TEHRAN: Three sons of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attended funeral prayers on Sunday in Tehran, standing beside his coffin and those of four other family members, while his successor and son, Mojtaba Khamenei, remained absent from public view.

Iranian state television showed Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud Khamenei praying behind the coffins at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, a sprawling religious complex where thousands of mourners gathered to pay their respects.

The funeral marks the beginning of a week-long series of commemorations organised by the Islamic Republic, with authorities planning mass processions across Iran before taking Khamenei’s remains to Shia holy sites in Iraq.

Khamenei’s coffin, along with those of his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and 14-month-old granddaughter, had been placed on public display under glass on Saturday after senior Iranian officials and foreign dignitaries paid their respects during a private lying-in-state ceremony.

Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Iran’s supreme leader following his death, has not appeared in public since the February 28 Israeli and US airstrikes that killed Ayatollah Khamenei and several members of his family.

People close to Mojtaba’s inner circle told Reuters he suffered severe injuries in the attack, including facial disfigurement and significant wounds to one or both legs.

Among those attending Sunday’s prayers were Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and other senior officials.

State media showed Masoud Khamenei breaking down in tears during the funeral prayers, wiping his face with a keffiyeh as an imam led the ceremony.

Large crowds of mourners, many weeping and beating their chests, continued to gather at the Mosalla throughout the night. Iran’s metro operator said around seven million passenger trips were recorded between late Saturday and Sunday morning as people travelled to central Tehran.

Iranian authorities have announced plans for a massive funeral procession through Tehran on Monday before transferring Khamenei’s remains to the holy city of Qom on Tuesday.

The body will then be flown to the Iraqi shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday before returning to Iran for another procession in Mashhad, where Khamenei will be buried near the shrine of Imam Reza.

Officials said millions of people are expected to take part in the funeral events, with the government arranging transport, food and accommodation for mourners.

A ceasefire brokered with Washington last month ended the four-month war that began with Israeli and US strikes on Iranian targets. Tehran has described the truce as a victory that it says will pave the way for major economic benefits.