Tehran: Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader, Moztaba Khamenei, is reportedly unlikely to attend the funeral of his father, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, due to what officials describe as an extraordinary security threat.
According to a senior Iranian representative, intelligence and security agencies have advised Moztaba Khamenei against appearing at any public event, warning that his life could be at immediate risk. The possibility that Iran's new Supreme Leader may remain absent from one of the country's most significant state ceremonies has sparked intense debate both inside Iran and across the international community.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed in a U.S.-Israel airstrike on February 28. Iranian authorities are preparing to hold his funeral in the first week of July, with millions of mourners expected to attend what is likely to become one of the largest public gatherings in the nation's history.
Speaking on the issue, Ayatollah Hakim Elahi, the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, said Moztaba Khamenei is eager to meet the public but is being prevented from doing so by security agencies.
"Moztaba wants to stand among the people and personally pay his respects. However, the security situation is extremely dangerous. Security officials believe providing adequate protection at such a massive public event would be nearly impossible. That is why he may not attend the funeral," Elahi said.
The unprecedented possibility of a Supreme Leader missing his own father's funeral highlights the volatile security environment facing Iran's leadership amid escalating regional tensions and fears of further targeted attacks.
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