Where is Mojtaba? Iran’s Supreme Leader skips father Ali Khamenei’s funeral even as 3 brothers attend | World

Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s week-long funeral procession is underway, with thousands of people joining the prayers at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran on Sunday to bid farewell to him. However, one key person was absent: his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei. 

Mojtaba’s absence from his father’s funeral further raised questions over his whereabouts, even as three of his brothers were among the attendees. State media also released a showing Ali Khamenei’s three sons, Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud, standing near their father’s coffin during the prayers.

Iran’s entire leadership, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief General Ahmad Vahidi and Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, was present, except Mojtaba. 

In fact, Mojtaba will completely skip the six-day funeral procession of his father, as stated earlier by the Iranian officials.

56-year-old Mojtaba has not been seen in public since the United States (US) and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28, which eventually killed Ali Khamenei. Reportedly, Mojtaba was severely injured in those strikes and is getting treated.

Earlier, President Donald Trump had said the US was not sure if Mojtaba was dead or not, but later said that he was alive “in some form”. He had also hoped to meet with him in the future, but Iranian officials denied it. None of his photos or videos have been released by Iranian authorities, which has only fueled the speculations, even as they have maintained that Mojtaba is alive. 

On Sunday, coming to Ali Khamenei’s funeral, was declared a public holiday across Iran. Sunday’s ceremonies drew huge crowds, as people paid their last respects to Ali Khamenei. Many called for action against his killers, and said they are seeking revenge, and not peace and negotiations.

“The killers (of Khamenei) must face punishment,” a 38-year-old man surnamed Miremadi told AFP. “If our leaders are about to proceed with negotiations in this manner, our people will not agree with it.”

The huge crowd even surprised Trump, who said he was “shocked” and added that he always thought that the common Iranians hated Ali Khamenei. “I was shocked,” Trump told Axios when asked about the funeral scenes. “I thought people hated him.”

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