In the line of carefully selected men to lead the funeral prayer for Ali Khamenei, a figure with a darkened face and a black cap stands out: a detail that didn't go unnoticed and sparked an uproar on social media, with users speculating that the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had hidden among the mourners to attend his father's funeral in Mashhad. During the week of ceremonies, several artificial intelligence videos surfaced online showing Mojtaba Khamenei in civilian clothes and a black baseball cap walking among the mourners at the funeral in Tehran, CNN reports.
Pro-regime journalists had predicted his presence among the crowd at the shrine, while others shared photos of a clean-shaven man wearing a black cap, claiming he was the Ayatollah in disguise. Now, fueling the debate have been images of a man wearing a black baseball cap and what appears to be a large mask covering his face , as shown in footage released by the state broadcaster. The man was prominently featured among a small group attending a private event held yesterday for Khamenei's family and close friends, led by another of his sons, Mostafa. On social media, the man has been closely scrutinized, with his build, glasses, and height compared to those of the new Supreme Leader, in an attempt to determine whether he was the person behind the mask. Mujtaba Khamenei has yet to make a public appearance since his appointment four months ago . Even as Iran's precarious political situation becomes increasingly turbulent due to deep internal divisions over diplomacy with the United States, the Islamic Republic has chosen to keep its new leader shrouded in secrecy, providing no further evidence of his existence beyond written statements attributed to him.
His absence has raised doubts about his ability to lead the country, and some have even speculated that he may be dead, a claim the regime continues to categorically deny. Western intelligence agencies also believe the leader is alive, though they have raised doubts about his health. Ali Khamenei's funeral could have been the perfect opportunity for the Ayatollah's first public appearance, and according to media reports, Mojtaba has repeatedly expressed his desire to attend. His presence was reportedly held back by the Pasdaran's veto, concerned about the leader's safety in a situation like the funeral, where they would not be able to guarantee the highest level of security for the Supreme Leader.
