Mossad Poll Mocks Iran Over Missing Mojtaba Khamenei Ahead of Funeral

Two days before the state funeral for Ali Khamenei begins in Tehran, Israel's Mossad has highlighted a sensitive issue for the Iranian regime: the whereabouts of Mojtaba Khamenei, the designated successor. The Mossad's official Persian Twitter account posted a poll asking if Mojtaba would appear at his father's funeral. The options were sarcastic: "A double of Mojtaba will appear" (9.7%), "Security will not allow his presence" (10%), and the dominant response, "Mojtaba does not exist" (80.3%) out of 1,849 votes. The tweet has been viewed about 13,000 times.

This poll is part of a psychological campaign by Mossad targeting Tehran's vulnerabilities, focusing on Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since the war began. Reports suggest he was seriously injured in the U.S.-Israeli strike on February 28 that killed his father Ali Khamenei, his mother, and wife. No recent images of him have been released.

The funeral procession, postponed for months due to the war, will start tomorrow in Tehran and continue until July 9, including ceremonies in Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and burial in Mashhad. Tehran aims to showcase mass strength, with President Masoud Pezeshkian urging citizens to flood the streets. However, uncertainty surrounds Mojtaba's attendance. Ayatollah Hakim Elahi, the Supreme Leader's representative in India, told India Today that Mojtaba likely will not attend because authorities cannot guarantee his safety, despite his desire to meet people.

On a day meant to display unity and power, the Israeli poll has already framed the narrative for millions of Iranians: the new leader is a ghost figure.