Thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran on Sunday for the second day of funeral ceremonies for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as three of his sons made a rare public appearance while his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, remained out of public view.
The ceremonies, held at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex, are among the largest public events in Iran since Khamenei and four members of his family were killed in Israeli airstrikes on February 28, reportedly based on US intelligence.
Three sons attend, Mojtaba absent
Ali Khamenei’s eldest son, Mostafa, and his younger sons Masoud and Meysam, all clerics, attended the funeral prayers on Sunday.
However, there was still no sign of Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named Iran’s new Supreme Leader shortly after his father’s death but is yet to appear publicly.
Iranian officials have said Mojtaba was wounded in the Israeli strikes, though the extent of his injuries remains unclear. He has so far communicated only through written statements.
His absence is expected to remain a focus as funeral ceremonies continue through the week, culminating in Khamenei’s burial in Mashhad on Thursday.
Funeral procession to continue
The funeral procession will continue in Tehran on Monday before moving to the religious city of Qom on Tuesday and Iraq on Wednesday. Khamenei will be laid to rest in his hometown of Mashhad in northeastern Iran on Thursday.
Senior cleric Grand Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani, 97, led the funeral prayers before Khamenei’s body was moved from the Grand Mosalla complex.
Iran projects resilience
Beyond mourning Khamenei, who led the Islamic Republic for more than three decades, the funeral ceremonies have become a display of resilience by Iranian authorities following five weeks of war with Israel and the United States.
Parliament Speaker and chief US negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X that the “proud and invincible nation of Islamic Iran unanimously” paid tribute to its “martyr.”
Authorities expect more than 10 million people to participate in the funeral events in Tehran. Sunday was declared a public holiday to facilitate attendance, while extensive security measures and medical facilities were deployed amid concerns over crowd safety.
Senior military leaders reappear
Ahmad Vahidi, the newly appointed commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, attended the funeral for a second consecutive day after remaining out of public view during the recent conflict.
Esmail Qaani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, also made a rare public appearance, telling Iranian state television that Khamenei’s “blessed end” was fitting after a lifetime of “striving.”
Calls for revenge dominate ceremony
The funeral has also become a platform for public calls to avenge Khamenei’s death despite a ceasefire currently holding between Iran and the United States.
“The killers (of Khamenei) must face punishment,” one mourner told AFP.
Another attendee said, “We’re here to show the world that we back our revolution and our leader, and we demand revenge for the blood of our loved ones.”
Both Tehran and Washington have warned they remain prepared to resume military action despite an initial ceasefire agreement.
Regional allies pay tribute
Delegations from Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday, according to Iranian state media.
Representatives from Yemen’s Houthi movement and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad also attended the funeral ceremonies, underscoring Iran’s continued ties with armed groups across the Middle East.
