Why is Mojtaba Khamenei skipping his father’s funeral? Aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Reveals | Today’s news
Mojtaba Khamenei will not attend the funeral rites for his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, due to security concerns, Ayatollah Hakim Elahi, the current leader’s deputy in India, told ANI.
Elahi said the decision was reportedly prompted by Israeli threats and the risk of surveillance, making public speaking unsafe.
Iranian authorities are holding funeral services for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei from July 4 to July 9 in several locations across Iran and Iraq. Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Indian dignitaries pay tribute to Khamenei
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Mojtaba Khamenei is skipping his father’s funeral due to security concerns raised by threats from Israel and the risks of surveillance, making his public appearances dangerous.
Funeral services for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei are scheduled from July 4 to July 9 and are being held in several locations across Iran and Iraq.
Indian dignitaries, including prominent leaders such as Mehbooba Mufti and Salman Khurshid, are attending Khamenei’s funeral to pay their respects, marking a major diplomatic clash between India and Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi issued a warning directed at the US, saying any threats against Iran’s leadership would trigger an immediate and strong response.
Israeli threats, especially remarks about attacking Iranian leaders, strongly influence Iranian policy decisions by increasing the perceived need for security measures among its officials.
Several top Indian leaders have paid tribute to former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei ahead of the official state funeral ceremonies in Tehran.
The update was shared by the Embassy of Iran in India in a post on X, which read: “Indian dignitaries pay tribute to the martyred leader of Iran, His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Read also | Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral in Iran
In a picture released by the embassy, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti and Salman Khurshid, who heads the Congress Party’s foreign department, along with other delegates are preparing to travel to Iran for a state funeral.
The mufti left New Delhi for Tehran on Thursday evening to attend the funeral rites for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, scheduled for July 4. She is the only non-Shia politician from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh invited by Iran to participate in the proceedings.
Read also | Iran prepares for Khamenei’s funeral; Kharge and Nitin Nabin among the guests
After the departure of these political leaders, an official Indian government delegation also went to Iran. Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita left her residence in New Delhi on Friday morning. Along with Bihar Governor Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, he is traveling to Iran to represent India at the late supreme leader’s funeral.
Iran’s FM warned the US
Earlier on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi issued a stark warning to the United States, calling on President Donald Trump to “muzzle his pets” in Israel after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had been “marked for death.”
In a post on X, Araghchi mentioned that the United States was committed to a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that ended hostilities in West Asia, including a commitment to contain Israel. He warned that any threat directed at the Iranian leadership would provoke an immediate response.
While sharing the text of Katz’s remarks from the report, Aragchi said, “The terms of the Islamabad MOU are crystal clear and public for all to see. POTUS has committed the US to banning the muzzles of its pets in Tel Aviv. If they ignore their master, Iran will train them. Any threat against our people and leadership will receive an immediate, powerful response.”
His remarks followed reports that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Monday called Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei “marked for death.”
Katz also described the Iranians as “good businessmen” and suggested they tried to secure concessions during the negotiations, while reiterating that Israel would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.
“If they do it through an agreement, so much the better,” Katz said, according to a text shared by Araghchi.
Earlier on July 1, Qatar and Pakistan held separate rounds of talks with US and Iranian negotiators in Doha, where officials reported “positive progress” on issues related to the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
In a post on X, Majed Al Ansari, adviser to the Qatari prime minister and official spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the parties agreed to continue talks in the coming weeks, with the next round of talks scheduled as soon as possible after the funeral rites for Iran’s former supreme leader.
