Iran's New Supreme Leader Skipped His Father's Entire Six-Day Funeral

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Iran's supreme leader after Ali Khamenei's death nearly four months ago, did not attend any stage of the six-day funeral spanning Tehran, Qom, Mashhad, and Iraqi shrine cities. He led no prayers at any service. His brothers appeared; he did not. The absence breaks with Iranian custom and invites questions about the stability of Iran's clerical transition, though whether it reflects security concerns, deliberate distancing, or institutional tensions remains unclear.