Iranian authorities have announced a memorial ceremony for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, scheduled to take place in Tehran on Tuesday. The event has attracted attention amid uncertainty over whether the country’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, will make his first public appearance since taking office.
According to the official announcement, the ceremony will be held on July 23 between 5 pm and 7 pm. The notice referred to the late leader as the ‘martyred mujahid Imam.’
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Since succeeding his father as Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei has remained out of public view, fuelling speculation over whether he will attend the memorial in person.
New Supreme Leader was absent from funeral
Mojtaba Khamenei did not appear during his father’s funeral prayers on Sunday, where three of his brothers led the religious ceremony attended by thousands of mourners.
State television broadcast images of Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud Khamenei standing beside the coffins at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla.
The coffins of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and his 14-month-old granddaughter were placed together inside the sprawling religious complex during the funeral prayers.
His absence drew widespread attention, as he has not been seen publicly since assuming the country’s highest leadership position.
Mojtaba Khamenei pledges revenge
Days after the funeral, Mojtaba Khamenei released his first public statement following his father’s death, promising revenge for the killing of the former Supreme Leader, who died during joint US-Israeli strikes in late February.
In remarks reported by AFP, he said, ‘Vengeance is the will of our nation and must inevitably be carried out.’
He further stated, ‘This matter depends neither on my personal existence nor on that of other officials. Whether we are present or not, it will come to pass.’
The statement came just hours after US President Donald Trump warned against any attempt to assassinate him.
Fresh strain in US-Iran relations
Since taking over as Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei has largely stayed away from public events. In his statement, he also claimed that the Islamic Republic had prepared a list of individuals to be targeted.
His remarks come at a time when tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated again following the collapse of the June 17 ceasefire agreement.
The two countries have exchanged attacks and intensified their rhetoric in recent days, raising concerns over the possibility of further conflict.
Against this backdrop, Tuesday’s memorial ceremony has gained added significance, as it could become Mojtaba Khamenei’s first public appearance since succeeding his father. However, Iranian authorities have not confirmed whether he will personally attend the event.
First published on: Jul 12, 2026 02:31 PM IST
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