A man wearing a baseball cap and a black mask has become the most talked-about figure at the funeral of Iran’s slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Seated in the front row among millions of worshippers gathered at the Imam Reza shrine, his presence immediately sparked speculation that the mask was the new leader of the Islamic Republic, Mojtaba Khamenei.
According to Iranian media, the mystery has been solved. The masked man is reported to be Mohammad Javad Khamenei, the eldest grandson of Ali Khamenei and the son of Mostafa Khamenei. He is said to have appeared with his face covered after suffering severe facial injuries and burns during US and Israeli airstrikes on February 28, attacks in which, according to these reports, his 86-year-old grandfather was also killed.
The appearance of Khamenei’s grandson has also brought attention back to Mojtaba Khamenei, who was declared the new supreme leader after his father’s death but has not appeared in public since the February attack. According to reports cited by Iranian media, he suffered serious injuries to his face and limbs and his absence is related to the recovery process and security measures. However, these claims have not been officially confirmed.
Although he was physically absent from the ceremony, Mojtaba Khamenei published a message on Telegram, declaring that revenge against the US and Israel is the “will of the nation” and will be realized soon. He warned that Tehran has a list of targets and that those responsible will bear the consequences of their actions.
The funeral ceremony was also accompanied by strong political tensions. Large crowds held banners with slogans against the United States and US President Donald Trump, while calls for revenge were also heard.
According to published reports, Trump responded via the Truth Social platform, warning Iran that any attack on American interests would be met with an immediate and devastating response from the United States. However, these statements have not been independently confirmed by official US sources.