Mystery of the masked man at Ali Khamenei's funeral: Who was it? Mojtaba?

Did "missing" Mojtaba Khamenei finally appear at his father's funeral? Is the masked man none other than Iran's slain former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son?

Social media is bombarded with speculations that the masked mourner wearing a black baseball cap, seated in the front row during the funeral prayers, is Khamenei junior.

Mojtaba's disappearance since the death of his father has only ignited mystery surrounding his health and whereabouts. On Thursday (July 9), Ali Khamenei, one of Iran's longest-serving heads of state, was laid to rest near the shrine of Imam Reza in the holy city of Mashhad, Iran.

The 86-year-old Iranian leader, who ruled for decades, was killed on the first day of the US-Israel joint Operation Fury against Iran. According to reports, Mojtaba was also inside the same house as his father during the US-Israel coordinated strikes. The younger Khamenei was disfigured but survived because he was in a different room.

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We take a look.

Is the mysterious masked man Mojtaba?

State television showed Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud Khamenei on the day of Khamenei's burial. They were standing beside the coffins at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, where a massive crowd of mourners had gathered.

During the funeral, a man wearing a black face mask also appeared; many suggested that it was Mojtaba in disguise. However, Iranian publication Iran International has put all the speculations to rest. The masked mourner is not Mojtaba- he is Mohammad Javad Khamenei, the late Supreme Leader's eldest grandson.

The identified Javad is the son of Mostafa Khamenei, the eldest son of Ali Khamenei. He reportedly sustained severe facial burns and other serious injuries during the February 28 attack that killed his grandfather.

The strike injuries prompted him to cover his face with a black mask while attending the funeral.

Mojtaba to appear in public soon?

A recent announcement by Iranian authorities suggests that Iran's new supreme leader will hold a memorial ceremony for his father in Tehran next week. The announcement indicates that the event may mark the first public appearance of "unseen" Mojtaba since his father's death.

According to officials, a memorial service for the late Iranian leader will be held on July 23 from 5 pm to 7 pm. The announcement described the event as a ceremony honouring the "martyred mujahid Imam."

Largely out of view, the junior Khamenei, 56, has been missing for months now. Iranian media confirmed his serious injuries, including a fractured foot and bruise around his left eye, with a laceration to his face.

Western media, citing sources, also reported related injuries and that he suffered serious stomach or liver damage, even lost one leg and was in coma.

Australian media reports that Iran's missing supreme leader communicates with the country's military commanders and senior clerics through handwritten messages.

Several statements attributed to Khamenei have been read out either by news anchors on state television or state media websites.

Despite messages of promise to fight against the US and Israel, national unity during conflict was apparent, but his physical absence only deepened the speculation about his whereabouts and Iranian leadership.

In his latest written message and first public communication since the funeral, Mojtaba vowed to avenge his father's death on Telegram on Saturday (July 11).

"We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers. Vengeance must certainly be avenged," the statement roughly noted.

Iran bid a final farewell to Khamenei in a flag-draped coffin, with around 43 million people in attendance in the mourning ceremonies.

With inputs from agencies