According to the Daily Express, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was assassinated in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on February 28. The same outlet reports that this airstrike triggered the Iran war with the US. The current status of that conflict remains unclear, as does the specific evidence supporting the claim of a joint US-Israeli operation, with no official confirmation from US or Israeli authorities.
Following the assassination, Khamenei's son was appointed as his successor, according to the Daily Express. However, multiple reports indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen publicly since taking office as supreme leader. The reasons for his absence from public view are unknown, and there has been no official explanation from Iranian government sources about his whereabouts or activities.
It speaks volumes that the turnout for the funeral of the regime's founding father in 1989 was such a massive affair, and yet one generation later his successor is still not able to have a funeral well over a month after his passing.
Khamenei's remains have not yet been buried, breaking with longstanding tradition, the New York Post reports. A security expert cited by major media says Iranian officials are afraid to bury Khamenei. Multiple reports suggest holding a funeral ceremony would risk potential Israeli airstrikes, nationalist counter-demonstrations, and force the regime to account for the absence of Mojtaba Khamenei.
According to Daily Express - Main, security expert Taleblu described the contrast with the massive turnout for the funeral of the regime's founding father, Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989, noting Khamenei's successor still lacks a funeral over a month after his passing. The exact reasons for the delay, beyond these reported fears, are not confirmed by Iranian authorities. State media Fars reports that Iranian officials are considering Mashhad as a possible burial location for Khamenei.
The Islamic Republic likes to talk a big game about owning the streets, but a 50-day internet blackout tells you all you need to know. The regime fears the consequences of the truth getting out.
Mashhad is Khamenei's birthplace and lies on the border with Turkmenistan, far from Israel. One proposal would bury Khamenei near a shrine in Mashhad, which has a substantial security presence, according to multiple reports. This location is seen as potentially safer from security threats compared to other sites in Iran.
The Islamic Republic originally planned a three-day state funeral for Khamenei starting on March 4, but it never occurred. According to Daily Express - Main, Taleblu described the regime's fear of the consequences of the truth getting out, citing a prolonged internet blackout. When and where Khamenei's burial will ultimately take place remains undecided, with no official timeline announced by the Iranian government.