Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will not attend father Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will not attend his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies – the former Supreme Leader of Iran – over security concerns, his representative has reportedly said.

According to Ayatollah Hakim Elahi, the Israeli threats and surveillance risks would make Mojtaba’s public attendance “dangerous”, reported news agency ANI.

Ayatollah Khamenei, who ruled Iran for 36 years, was killed on February 28 – the day the US and Israel began striking Iran, triggering a war in the Middle East.

The former Supreme Leader Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies will begin in Tehran on July 4 and conclude with his burial in his hometown, the northeastern holy city of Mashhad, on July 9.

The funeral rituals will include events in Qom – a holy city south of Tehran, on July 7, and other religious observances.

Iranian authorities expect millions of mourners to hit the streets over the six-day period, making the funeral one of the closely tracked global events.