A mystique shrouded a solemn gathering as a man in a black mask attended the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, igniting speculation about the apparent public emergence of his potential successor—his son, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Positioned prominently in the front row and participating in the prayer leadership for the fallen supreme leader, the man captured attention by wearing a baseball cap paired with a black mask.
Contrary to swirling rumors of Mojtaba’s appearance, the individual was later confirmed to be Mohammad Javad Khamenei, the eldest grandson of the late ayatollah, as reported by Iran International.
Javad Khamenei had suffered severe injuries and facial burns from the controversial airstrikes conducted on February 28 by the United States and Israel. These events not only claimed the life of 86-year-old Ali Khamenei but also left his other grandson, Mojtaba, significantly disfigured, U.S. intelligence sources indicated.
Javad’s lineage traces back to Ali Khamenei’s eldest son, Mostafa Khamenei, who was reportedly born around 1965, providing a direct connection to the mourning family at the ceremony.
The former ruler of the Islamic Republic was buried on Thursday after a six-day ceremony that reportedly brought as many as 43 million to participate, according to state media.
Mojtaba Khamenei released a written message vowing to avenge his father’s death on Telegram Saturday.