Iranians are anxiously awaiting whether the country's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, will break his silence and make his first public appearance since taking office during the ongoing funeral ceremonies for his late father, Ali Khamenei.
Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen at any public event since his election last March, following the death of his father in an airstrike on the first day of the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in late February.
His leadership in recent months has been limited to issuing written statements amidst conflicting reports about the severity of his injuries from the same attack.
As Tehran sees heightened security measures coinciding with the transport of the deceased's body for burial in the city of Mashhad, the consistent absence of the new leader has led to widespread questions among observers regarding his health and the strict security measures surrounding him to prevent potential attacks.
Analysts suggest that his appearance during the remaining days of the funeral would be a crucial test of his public legitimacy and ability to govern the country. However, his continued absence could fuel speculation about the depth of the security and health crises facing the new Iranian leadership.
Previously, Iranian officials spoke about Mojtaba Khamenei's health condition after months without news or public appearances.
Hussein Kermanshahr, Director of Public Relations and Media at the Ministry of Health, stated that Mojtaba Khamenei was injured on the first day of the war and was transferred to Sina Hospital in Tehran immediately after the event.
The Iranian official clarified that Khamenei had "sustained no serious injuries, just minor wounds that neither disfigured his face nor caused any permanent disability."
Kermanshahr confirmed that the leader's wounds were treated with several stitches, noting that the part stitched at the time was his leg.
Funeral Ceremonies Begin
The funeral proceedings for Ali Khamenei began on Saturday in Tehran, more than four months after his death on the war's first day.
His black turban was placed on the coffin laid in the capital's grand mosque.
Participants, mostly dressed in black, began gathering at dawn, before Iranian television announced around six in the morning local time the commencement of the official national funeral.
The ceremonies, which will last six days, include stops in Iraq before the body is laid to rest in Mashhad, northeastern Iran.
Alongside Khamenei, four family members who died with him, including his son Mojtaba's wife, are being mourned.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that the United States has given Iran a one-week window to hold Ali Khamenei’s funeral "out of courtesy," as he put it.
Speaking during a celebration marking the United States' 250th Independence Day, Trump mentioned that "Iranians are eager to reach an agreement."