Top Clerics to Lead Khamenei Funeral Prayers as Mojtaba Stays Away

TEHRAN, Jul 4: Iranian state media said on Saturday that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will not lead funeral prayers for his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with the rites instead to be conducted by senior Shi'ite clerics in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad.

According to state media, Grand Ayatollah Ja'far Sobhani will lead prayers in Tehran, Naser Makarem Shirazi in Qom, and Hossein Nouri Hamedani in Mashhad.

The announcement came as The New York Times, citing two members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards and a person involved in planning the funeral, reported that Mojtaba Khamenei wants to attend his father's burial in Mashhad on July 9 and personally recite the funeral prayer.

However, the report said security officials have so far opposed the plan, fearing Israel could target the ceremony or use his appearance to track his location. Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared in public since his father's death in February.