Iran's New Supreme Leader Skips His Father's Funeral, Deepening Questions About His Authority

Mojtaba Khamenei, selected as supreme leader in March after his father's killing in a U.S.-Israeli airstrike, did not attend Ali Khamenei's state funeral on July 4, citing security concerns. The absence marks his first public appearance since taking office and undercuts the regime's messaging of institutional continuity. His 37-year-long predecessor shaped every major institution; an expedited succession during wartime creates a legitimacy deficit that mass funerals alone may not resolve.