The burial ceremony for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was held on July 9 in Mashhad, the northeastern city of his birth, with three of his sons in attendance.
The ceremony was presided over by Khamenei's eldest son, Mostafa, while his third son, Masoud, and fourth son, Meysam, also appeared at the event. However, the current Supreme Leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei—the late leader's second son—was absent from his father's burial, with security risks cited as the reason.
Mojtaba Khamenei has not made any public appearances since the U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran began in late February. He was reportedly injured in the same attack that killed his parents and wife, and has since communicated only through written statements, with no photographs or videos released.
According to reports, Mojtaba had expressed a desire to attend the burial ceremony in Mashhad to say prayers over his father's body, but Iranian security officials advised against his appearance over fears that Israel might exploit the opportunity to carry out an assassination or track his whereabouts. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has previously issued direct threats against Mojtaba Khamenei.
The funeral ceremony in Mashhad marked the final stop of a multi-day procession that had passed through Tehran, Qom, and the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.
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