Mojtaba Khamenei may make his first public appearance at his father’s funeral

Iranian analysts believe Mojtaba Khamenei, who has emerged as Iran’s new leader, may appear in public for the first time in a little over two weeks, most likely at the funeral events for his father, Ali Khamenei. The expected funeral procession is set to begin in Tehran on July 4 and end with burial in Mashhad on July 9, after several days of ceremonies that will also include stops in holy Qom on July 7.

The timing comes after what is described as an agreement to end the war between the United States and Iran, and after Washington has apparently agreed to stop further strikes inside Iran. That has fueled expectations that the younger Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since the war began, will finally emerge during the burial of the man who ruled Iran for 36 years.

According to reports, Mojtaba Khamenei has been in hiding and may have been wounded in the strike on February 28 in Tehran that killed his father. He was reportedly inside his father’s compound at the time, and other family members, including his wife, were killed. Donald Trump has also said Khamenei was injured, but the manner and severity of the injury remain unclear.

Under Islamic law, burial is supposed to take place quickly, usually within 24 hours, but war allows exceptions. That is why Ali Khamenei will be buried more than four months after his death. If Mojtaba Khamenei does appear, it would draw major international attention and could provide the first clues about his health and current condition, though it remains only an estimate and he may stay away from the ceremonies.