Tehran funeral sees millions mourn late Supreme Leader as son Mojtaba absent

Millions attend Tehran funeral as Mojtaba Khamenei absent amid speculation

The funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei took place in Tehran, where thousands and officials gathered on Sunday, Iranian authorities and state media reported; Mojtaba Khamenei, one of the deceased’s sons, did not attend, fueling questions about his condition following recent strikes.

Officials including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Revolutionary Guards chief Ahmad Vahidi joined crowds at the Grand Mosalla religious complex, where Khamenei’s body is lying in state and a service was led by Shia cleric Jafar Sobhani.

State authorities said official proceedings began on Friday with ceremonies planned across Iran and Iraq through the week, and expected between 12 million and 20 million attendees overall; more than 10 million people were anticipated in Tehran alone.

Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence has prompted speculation, amplified by rumours he was wounded in the same US-Israel air strikes that killed his father; he has not appeared in public since his appointment in early March.

Images and reports from the Grand Mosalla described large crowds, strict security measures and health responses: IRNA said over 4,000 people visited medical centres near the complex, while medics treated heat-related cases and mourners were sprayed with mist as temperatures reached the mid-30s Celsius.

The funeral display included the late leader’s coffin alongside those of four relatives killed in the strikes, among them his one-year-old granddaughter Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani.

The international context was reflected in remarks reported by news outlets: Axios quoted former US President Donald Trump discussing paused peace talks and suggesting the United States could target attending Iranian officials, comments that drew rebuttal from mourners and public expressions of anger toward US and Israeli leaders at events in Tehran.

Authorities outlined a procession schedule: after ceremonies in Tehran, the coffin will be moved to Qom on Tuesday, to a major Shia site in Iraq on Wednesday, and buried on Thursday in Mashhad, the late leader’s hometown.