Mojtaba Khamenei’s Continued Absence Deepens Questions Over Iran’s Postwar Leadership

The funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei drew large crowds across Iran and were presented by the authorities as a display of continuity and resilience. Analysts said the public events were intended to project that the state could absorb the killing of its top leader without losing control or cohesion. At the same time, the ceremonies highlighted visible gaps in that message. Mojtaba Khamenei did not issue a recorded message or release a new image, and several former presidents who had been at odds with the leadership were absent from key events, adding to questions about how broad the regime’s internal unity really is.