Tehran holds grand prayer for Khamenei as son and successor Mojtaba stays absent

The grand prayer

A ten-minute prayer led by 97-year-old Ayatollah Ja'far Sobhani opened the second day of national mourning for Ali Khamenei at Tehran's Grand Mosalla complex. President Massoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Quds Force commander Esmaïl Qaani, and Revolutionary Guards chief Ahmad Vahidi stood in the front row alongside three of Khamenei's sons (Massoud, Mostafa and Meysam), state television images showed.

Mojtaba's continued absence

Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son who succeeded his father as supreme leader, was wounded in the same Israeli-American bombings that killed Ali Khamenei on 28 February, the first day of the war. He has not appeared in public since and communicates only through statements attributed to him. His empty place at the funeral underscored the leadership vacuum.

A nation in mourning

The coffin, draped in an Iranian flag with Khamenei's black turban resting on top, was displayed alongside those of relatives killed with him: a daughter, a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law and a 14-month-old granddaughter. Sunday and Monday were declared public holidays, and authorities expect 15 to 20 million people in Tehran alone. Crowds waved Iranian and red flags (symbolising vengeance and justice), beat their chests and chanted "death to America."

He was a father to us all. With his disappearance, we are all orphans. Our grief is immense.

Political backdrop

The funeral is a show of cohesion and strength as Iran negotiates with the United States following a deal signed last month. The war that began with the 28 February strikes continues to shape the country's trajectory.