Three sons of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei made a rare public appearance during funeral ceremonies in Tehran on Sunday, while the continued absence of his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, drew attention amid ongoing speculation about his condition following the February 28 airstrikes that killed his father.

Thousands Attend Funeral Ceremonies in Tehran

Large crowds gathered at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex for a second consecutive day to attend funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei and four members of his family who were killed in Israeli airstrikes carried out with U.S. intelligence support.

Iranian authorities have portrayed the ceremonies as both a national mourning event and a demonstration of resilience after five weeks of war involving Israel and the United States.

Parliament Speaker and chief nuclear negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf praised the turnout on X, saying the “proud and invincible nation of Islamic Iran unanimously” honored its “martyr.”

Mojtaba Khamenei Still Absent

The ceremonies featured the public appearance of Khamenei’s eldest son Mostafa and his younger sons Masoud and Meysam, all clerics. Their presence further highlighted the absence of Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named supreme leader after his father’s death but has not appeared publicly.

Iranian officials have said Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded in the February 28 strikes, though the extent of his injuries remains unclear. Since then, he has communicated only through written statements, fueling speculation that he may either be seriously injured or avoiding public appearances for security reasons.

Observers are expected to closely watch the remaining funeral events, particularly the burial scheduled for Thursday in Mashhad, to see whether Mojtaba Khamenei appears publicly.

Senior Military Figures Reappear

Ahmad Vahidi, the new commander of the Revolutionary Guards whose predecessor was killed in the February strikes, attended the ceremonies publicly for a second time after remaining largely unseen during the war.

Esmail Qaani, head of the Guards’ Quds Force, also made a rare appearance and described Khamenei’s death as a “blessed end” after a lifetime of “striving.”

Notably absent from the ceremonies so far have been former presidents Mohammad Khatami, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Hassan Rouhani, all of whom had strained relationships with Ali Khamenei.

Funeral Procession and Calls for Revenge

A funeral procession is scheduled for Monday in Tehran, followed by ceremonies in Qom on Tuesday, the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday, and burial in Mashhad on Thursday.

With Sunday declared a public holiday, crowds filled the religious complex despite temperatures reaching 35°C.

The ceremonies have also featured strong calls for retaliation. One attendee told AFP that “the killers of Khamenei must face punishment,” while another said the gathering was intended to show support for “our revolution and our leader” and to demand revenge.

Iranian military commander Amir Hatami said he had pledged to Mojtaba Khamenei that he “will not let go of the collar of those who killed” the new leader’s father.

The funeral events come as a fragile ceasefire remains in place following an initial accord between Tehran and Washington, though both sides have warned that military action could resume.