Iran's New Supreme Leader Stays Out of Sight During Historic Funeral

Mojtaba Khamenei, appointed Supreme Leader a week after his father's assassination in February 2026, has not appeared publicly since—missing even Tehran's massive state funeral. Security concerns amid active conflict and ceasefire negotiations explain the absence, analysts say. Yet the silence matters: his predecessor commanded legitimacy earned over three decades. This successor lacks that foundation and was chosen through unusual channels, making his invisibility during Iran's largest mourning since 1989 a question mark about his standing.