Funeral of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be a six-day event that will take place from July 4, but questions linger on whether his son and current Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will appear during the burial or not. 56-year-old Mojtaba has not appeared before the public since the war between the United States (US) and Iran on February 28.
Mojtaba was seriously injured during the same strike that killed his father, and has not appeared before his supporters; even though he has issued written statements and released audio recordings. Some unverified reports have claimed Mojtaba suffered serious injuries in the strike that also killed his wife and mother. However, Iranian authorities have remained tight-lipped about his injuries.ย
Mojtaba’s appearance at Ali Khamenei’s funeral could be momentous and boost his authority in the Islamic Republic. However, his failure to appear at the funeral could further fuel speculations that the Supreme Leader has not recovered from his injuries.ย
Iranian officials are also unclear over this notably, and his office hasn’t issued a statement either, which is only adding more to the speculations. “This matter is not within our domain and the decision lies entirely with the (supreme) leaderโs office,” Ali Akbar Pourjamshidia, the head of the authority organising the funeral, was quoted as saying by CNN.ย
Iran’s warning to US, Israel
Iran has also issued a warning to the US and Israel against striking the country during Khamenei’s funeral. His funeral processions will begin from Saturday in Tehran and conclude in Mashhad, Ali Khamenei’s hometown, on July 9. Some ceremonies will also take place in Qom during the six-day event.
โWe warn the enemies of Iran, especially the US and the Zionist regime, to avoid any miscalculation and to think about the harsh retaliation our armed forces would make to any threat and aggression against our country,โ Ali Abdollahi, commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said in a statement.ย
Iranian authorities have urged people to gather in large numbers for the funeral. Earlier, it was reported that Iranian officials are expecting millions to join Ali Khamenei’s last journey in Tehran.
โI invite all the Iranian people… to write a glorious page in the history of Islamic Iran through your presence… The nationโs call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world,โ Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who was also country’s top negotiator, said.ย
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