Why Iran's unseen leader remains in the shadows

The images emerging from Tehran are striking. Tens of thousands of mourners dressed in black have gathered at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla for the funeral and lying in state of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following his assassination on the opening day of a war between Iran and the United States on February 28.

State television has broadcast scenes of mass mourning throughout the week: worshippers filing past the late Supreme Leader's coffin, emotional prayers, and crowds chanting calls for revenge. In a rare move, a limited number of Western media outlets have been permitted to film the ceremonies, offering the outside world a glimpse of a carefully choreographed display of national mourning.

The week-long commemorations have prompted intense debate among analysts. For some, the unprecedented public turnout reflects genuine grief and uncertainty over Iran's future. For others, the ceremonies represent a calculated projection of strength by a regime determined to demonstrate continuity and resilience despite an extraordinary crisis.

Questions also remain over the country's political succession. Mojtaba Khamenei, widely viewed by some observers as a potential successor to his father, has yet to appear publicly. However, three of his brothers attended the funeral ceremonies, alongside relatives mourning members of the Khamenei family reportedly killed in the February 28 attack, including the Ayatollah's wife, eldest daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and three-year-old granddaughter.

To examine what these scenes reveal about the state of the Islamic Republic, and what they could mean for Iran's political future, we're joined by Negar Mortazavi, an Iranian-American journalist, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, and host of the Iran Podcast.

Our guests

Negar MORTAZAVI Journalist