Mourning Procession for Khamenei to Traverse Tehran; Son's Absence Fuels Speculation

Tehran is preparing for a multi-day mourning period for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose body will be paraded through the capital before his burial. The procession will traverse the city's main thoroughfares, culminating at the Asadi Tower in the west, according to government announcements.

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The procession for the former religious leader begins far in the east of the capital and leads over the central main traffic axis to the Asadi Tower in the west of the city.

Khamenei was killed on February 28 in an Israeli airstrike on his Tehran residence. This event triggered a five-week war between Iran and the United States and Israel, which concluded with a ceasefire agreement in early April. Airspace over Tehran will be restricted for security reasons during the mourning period, with further limitations announced for Tuesday and leading up to Thursday's burial in his hometown of Mashhad.

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For Khamenei's supporters and the Iranian leadership, the state mourning is both a farewell and a demonstration of political unity.

Prior to the Mashhad burial, ceremonies are scheduled in the holy city of Qom and in neighboring Iraq. For Khamenei's supporters and the Iranian leadership, these state mourning events serve as both a farewell and a demonstration of political unity. The state leadership aims to showcase cohesion and capability, emphasizing their survival of the war against superior military forces.

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The state television described him as a 'war-wounded' individual, but provided no further details.

Speculation surrounds the public appearances of Mojtaba Khamenei, Ayatollah Khamenei's son, who was appointed the new supreme leader in early March, a week after his father's death. His absence has led to rumors about his health, with state television referring to him as a "war-wounded" individual without providing further details. It remains uncertain if he will attend the Mashhad funeral, and Iranian media indicate he is not slated to lead prayers.

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Such an appearance could (...) have conveyed an image of internal cohesion and national unity to the eyes of the world public.