/https://media.cnbc.com/dims/origin/108343257/Spider-Man-Brand-New-Day.jpg "Spider-Man Smashes Box Office Records with ‘Brand New Day’ Preview Haul")
Iran is holding a week-long funeral for its slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose three sons appeared at the ceremony, but his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, was conspicuously absent due to injuries reportedly sustained in the US-Israeli airstrike that killed his father.
The somber events in Tehran, marked by vast crowds and revolutionary zeal, follow a devastating war with the US and Israel that ended in a shaky ceasefire, leaving Iran’s theocratic government in power while negotiating significant economic benefits.
TEHRAN, IRAN – A nation gripped by grief and revolutionary fervor has begun a week of mass funeral processions for Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. On Sunday, his three sons – Mostafa, Meysam, and Masoud Khamenei – were seen praying beside his coffin, and those of four other family members, in the vast courtyard of Tehran's Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla. Notably absent, however, was Mojtaba, the son who has succeeded him as Iran's supreme leader, sparking further speculation.
State television broadcasts showed the solemn ceremony as the sons paid their respects behind the coffins, laid out for public viewing. Their father, along with several other family members, was tragically killed in an airstrike on February 28, marking the onset of a devastating war between the United States, Israel, and Iran. The conflict, which raged for several weeks before a shaky ceasefire, left a trail of destruction across the region, yet ultimately preserved the power of Iran's theocratic government, backed by the formidable Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
In a profound display of public devotion, the Islamic Republic is organizing an extensive funeral week for Khamenei, which includes transporting his remains to revered Shi'ite religious sites in neighboring Iraq. Following a day of lying in state for senior Iranian and foreign dignitaries, Khamenei's coffin was showcased outdoors on Saturday, enclosed under glass, alongside the coffins of his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and his 14-month-old granddaughter.
Sunday witnessed tens of thousands more mourners, comprising soldiers, seminary students, and ordinary citizens, converging at the Mosalla. They paid their respects, waving flags emblazoned with vows of retribution against America and Israel, and participating in unison in prayers at the complex named after Iran's inaugural supreme leader, Khomeini, whom Khamenei succeeded in 1989. The farewell ceremony was reportedly extended by an hour due to the overwhelming number of attendees.
Mojtaba's Continued Absence Fuels Speculation
Despite the high-profile ceremonies, there has been no public appearance or image released of Mojtaba Khamenei, who is believed to have been injured in the same February 28 attack that claimed his father's life and those of other family members. Sources close to his inner circle told Reuters that Mojtaba sustained facial disfigurement and a significant injury to one or both legs.
A disappointed mourner, speaking to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, expressed the public's longing: “Until the last moment, before the prayer began, I kept telling those around me that I hoped (Mojtaba Khamenei) himself would come. That was our only wish.”
The current four-month-old war has been suspended by a ceasefire agreement with Washington, which Iranian authorities herald as a strategic victory, promising substantial economic benefits. The conflict claimed over 3,000 lives, including numerous senior Iranian politicians and military commanders, and devastated infrastructure, incurring billions in damages. However, Iran successfully retaliated against U.S. bases and asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, causing a global energy price surge that U.S. President Donald Trump cited as a motivator for accelerating peace talks.
The interim deal reached last month includes the unfreezing of billions of dollars in Iranian assets held abroad and waivers from financial sanctions that had crippled Iran's economy. President Trump confirmed to Axios that peace talks had been briefly paused for the funeral events.
On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf were observed praying behind the coffins. Masoud Khamenei was visibly moved, wiping away tears with a keffiyeh – a potent symbol of militant revolutionary ideals and Palestinian solidarity – as an imam led the funeral prayers.
Thousands Flock to Central Tehran for Ceremonies
Massive crowds, many weeping and beating their chests, have continuously thronged the Mosalla, even overnight. The Iranian metro railway network reported a staggering 7 million trips from late Saturday to Sunday morning, as people converged on central Tehran.
Following an anticipated colossal procession in central Tehran on Monday, the remains will be transported to the seminary city of Qom, the heart of Iran's Shi'ite hierarchy, for Tuesday's ceremonies. State media indicated the body would travel by land in a special vehicle. Subsequently, it will be flown to Iraq for ceremonies in the holy Shi'ite shrine cities of Najaf and Kerbala on Wednesday, before returning to Iran on Thursday for another procession in Mashhad, where Khamenei will be laid to rest near the tomb of a medieval Shi'ite Imam. Authorities are orchestrating an immense mobilization, offering transport, food, and lodging for millions of participants over the coming days.
