Khamenei's Designated Successor Absent From Funeral, Deepening Succession Uncertainty

Ayatollah Khamenei's chosen heir did not appear at his state funeral on July 6, 2026, in Tehran—a notable omission that complicates Iran's succession at a critical moment. Three of Khamenei's sons attended the ceremonies, but the designated successor remained absent. The Assembly of Experts, which selects the Supreme Leader, must now choose a replacement mid-war and under unprecedented institutional strain, without clear precedent from Khomeini's 1989 succession.