Emotion and politics merge in Tehran – Thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran this week for the solemn funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the late supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, who was killed in a coordinated US-Israeli attack during the early stages of the conflict. The event, held in the capital, drew massive crowds of mourners loyal to the regime, reflecting the deep emotional and political weight of the occasion. As the nation mourned, questions arose about the symbolic role of Khamenei’s surviving family members in the proceedings, particularly the absence of his eldest son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who now holds the position of Supreme Leader.

While Mojtaba Khamenei was notably missing from the ceremony, his father’s other three sons—Masoud, Mostafa, and Meysam—were present at the service on Sunday. Their attendance underscored the family’s continued influence within Iran’s leadership structure, even as the transition of power occurred in the wake…