Three sons of Ali Khamenei attend funeral as Supreme Leader Mojtaba remains absent

The absence of Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei dominated the second day of funeral ceremonies for his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, on Sunday, even as three of his brothers made a rare public appearance before thousands of mourners in Tehran.

Mostafa, Masoud and Meysam Khamenei, all clerics, attended prayers at Tehran's Grand Mosalla religious complex, where crowds gathered for a second consecutive day to honour Ali Khamenei and four members of his family killed in Israeli airstrikes on February 28. However, Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father after the attack, remained out of public view, intensifying speculation over his health.

Iranian officials have acknowledged that Mojtaba was wounded during the strikes but have not disclosed the extent of his injuries. Since assuming the country's highest office, he has communicated only through written statements, with no public appearances.

The state funeral marks not only the end of Ali Khamenei's more than three-decade rule but also a carefully choreographed display of the Islamic Republic's resilience after weeks of war with Israel and the United States. Tehran has portrayed the ceremonies as evidence that its political system remains intact despite losing several senior military and political leaders during the conflict.

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Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who also serves as Iran's chief negotiator with the United States, described the public turnout as proof of the nation's unity, saying Iranians had come together to honour their "martyr."

The funeral ceremonies are scheduled to continue throughout the week, with a procession through Tehran on Monday before moving to the religious city of Qom on Tuesday and Iraq on Wednesday. Ali Khamenei will be buried in his hometown of Mashhad on Thursday. Observers are expected to closely watch the remaining ceremonies for any appearance by Mojtaba Khamenei.

Iran projects unity after war

Senior figures of the Iranian establishment used the funeral to reinforce a message of continuity following the conflict.

Ahmad Vahidi, recently appointed commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after his predecessor was killed in the February attacks, appeared publicly for the second consecutive day. Esmail Qaani, head of the Guards' overseas Quds Force, also made a rare appearance, describing Ali Khamenei's death as a "blessed end" after a lifetime devoted to the Islamic Republic.

The funeral prayer was led by Grand Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani, one of Iran's most senior clerics, before preparations began for Monday's procession through the capital.

Authorities have declared Sunday a public holiday to facilitate attendance and estimate that millions could participate in the ceremonies in Tehran alone. Security has been significantly tightened around the venue, with medical teams deployed amid concerns over crowd safety as temperatures climbed to around 35 degrees Celsius.

Calls for retaliation echo through funeral

The ceremonies unfolded against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire between Iran, Israel and the United States. Although negotiations remain under way, many mourners demanded retaliation for the killings of Iran's leaders.

Several attendees said the deaths should not weaken Tehran's stance toward Washington or Israel, with some warning against renewed negotiations unless those responsible were held accountable.

Representatives of Iran-backed groups, including Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, were also present in Tehran and held meetings with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday. Delegations from Yemen's Houthi movement and Palestinian Islamic Jihad likewise attended the funeral events, underscoring Iran's continued ties with its regional allies despite the recent conflict.

The funeral is expected to remain a focal point of both domestic politics and regional attention as Iran transitions to new leadership while navigating a tense post-war environment.

With inputs from agencies