The three sons of Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, attended funeral ceremonies in Tehran on Sunday, but his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, was notably absent.
State television showed Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud Khamenei praying beside their father's coffin and those of four other family members at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla complex.
Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as supreme leader, has not been seen publicly since the attack that killed Ayatollah Khamenei.
According to reports, he suffered serious facial injuries and significant wounds to one or both legs during the 28 February strike that triggered the subsequent conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
Week of National Mourning
Iranian authorities have organised a week of ceremonies and public processions aimed at honouring Khamenei and demonstrating support for the Islamic Republic.
After lying in state for officials and foreign delegations, his coffin was displayed alongside those of his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and 14-month-old granddaughter.
Thousands gathered at the Mosalla complex to pay their respects, while Tehran's metro system reported roughly seven million passenger journeys between Saturday evening and Sunday morning as crowds travelled into the capital.
Ceasefire and Diplomacy
The funeral comes amid a ceasefire that ended four months of hostilities under an agreement involving the United States.
Iranian authorities have promoted the agreement as a diplomatic victory that could deliver significant economic benefits.
US President Donald Trump told Axios that peace talks have been paused for a week because of the funeral ceremonies.
Processions Across Iran and Iraq
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf attended Sunday's ceremony.
According to the official programme, a major procession will be held in central Tehran on Monday before the body is moved to the holy city of Qom.
It will then be flown to Iraq for ceremonies in the Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before returning to Iran for final events in Mashhad, where Khamenei will be buried near the shrine of one of Shiite Islam's revered imams.
Iranian authorities expect millions of people to take part in the commemorations over the coming days.
⚡️BREAKING: The Public farewell ceremony for Grand Ayatollah Khamenei has Begun
— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) July 4, 2026
Approximately 20 million Mourners are expected, and the event could become the Largest funeral in recorded Human History pic.twitter.com/npd6j6ujxu
