Will Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, attend his father's funeral?

Mojtaba is believed to have been seriously injured in that attack, where both his mother and his wife were killed. He has been hiding since the beginning of the war in late February, communicating with supporters only through written statements, never appearing in public and without using his voice, writes CNN.

Iranian officials have tried to create the impression that he has been fully recovered, even claiming he is running Tehran's negotiations with Washington.

His presentation would have outstanding significance, as it would mark its first public appearance and help strengthen its legitimacy within the country.

But his absence at the funeral would fuel doubts about his state of health and questions about who is really directing the country. On Wednesday, the leader did not participate in a private ceremony for his late wife.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aracchi warned on Wednesday that Tehran would give an immediate and powerful response to any threats against his leadership, after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Khamene was “marked to death”.

The funeral failure will likely be presented by the Islamic Republic as a necessary security measure because of the ongoing conflict. However, that would leave even more unanswered questions and deepen scepticism regarding his health and willingness to lead.

Questions are already growing within Iran. When asked this week about Khamene's attending the funeral, the chairman of the authority responsible for organising the ceremony, Ali Akbar Pourjamedija, avoided the answer. This issue is not in our jurisdiction and the decision is entirely due to the leadership office (suprem)”, he said. /Periscope/