Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has stayed out of sight since being wounded in US and Israeli airstrikes at the start of the Iran war, may finally appear in public. Strong speculation has begun over the possibility of his presence next week at a memorial in Tehran for his father, the former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iranian media said the memorial for the 86-year-old former top leader, who was killed along with other family members in the airstrike on February 28, was being arranged by his successor. Iran’s state news agency IRNA said on the social platform X that a special memorial in honor of the martyred leader would be held on behalf of the current leader of the Islamic Revolution, Mojtaba Khamenei, at Tehran’s Mosalla from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday (July 14).
Although one of the largest funerals and mourning processions in the country’s history was held after Ali Khamenei’s death last week, the 56-year-old new top leader was not seen anywhere, which created a big question in everyone’s mind. At the huge funeral held at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, Mojtaba’s three brothers, Mostafa, Meisam and Masoud Khamenei, were seen leading the prayers beside the coffins of their father, sister, brother-in-law, brother’s wife and a 14-month-old granddaughter.
For the funeral of Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran for nearly 37 years, roads and airspace in Tehran and other major cities were closed and normal life came to a halt. Millions of grieving people came out onto the streets for the final farewell of the leader, who had guided Iran with an iron hand through long-running conflict with the Western world. Despite gaining Iran’s highest power after his father’s death, Mojtaba Khamenei has not yet appeared in public. He is said to have been wounded in that deadly attack early in the war, after which he has kept himself completely hidden. In these circumstances, if the new supreme leader finally decides to attend his father’s state memorial this week, it will be his first official and historic public appearance since taking Iran’s highest office.
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