Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei skips father Ali Khamenei’s funeral over security concerns: report
Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei Ayatollah Hakeem Elahi, the current leader’s representative in India, said Khamenei would not attend the funeral of his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, due to security concerns. Elahi said the decision was based on threats and surveillance concerns from Israel that would make any public appearance dangerous, news agency ANI reported.The development comes amid renewed tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi issued a stern warning to Washington on Wednesday after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “has been marked for death.”Mojtaba Khamenei was also reportedly absent from the funeral of his wife Zahra Haddad-Adel, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28. His father, Iran’s longest-serving leader and global Shia icon Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, held a funeral at the latter’s residence.Araghchi posted on He warned that any threats against Iran’s leadership would be met with an immediate response.Sharing the text of Katz’s reported remarks, Araghchi said, “The terms of the Islamabad MOU are clear and public. The President of the United States has committed that the United States will muzzle their pets in Tel Aviv. If they ignore their owners, Iran will educate them. Any threats against our people and leadership will receive an immediate and forceful response.”Katz said on Monday that Iran’s supreme leader “has been marked for death,” according to reports shared by Araghchi. He also described the Iranians as “good businessmen,” accused Tehran of trying to extract concessions in negotiations and reiterated that Israel would not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons.“It would be better if they did it through an agreement,” Katz said, according to text shared by Araghchi.Meanwhile, Doha’s diplomatic efforts continue. On July 1, Qatar and Pakistan held meetings with US and Iranian negotiators respectively and reported “positive progress” on issues related to the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU).Majed Al Ansari, adviser to the Qatari Prime Minister and official spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted on X that the two sides have agreed to continue discussions and that the next meeting will be scheduled as soon as possible after the funeral procession of the former Iranian Supreme Leader.Iranian authorities will hold funerals for former supreme leader Ali Khamenei across Iran and Iraq from July 4 to 9. Iran’s longest-serving leader, Khamenei, was killed in an airstrike on February 28. Donald TrumpAn epic act of fury, the first day of war between the United States and Israel.
