Mohammad Javad Khamenei identified as masked man at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral

A man wearing a black mask and baseball cap appeared in the front row of the funeral procession for Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Initial speculation suggested the figure could be Mojtaba Khamenei, the ayatollah’s son and possible successor. Iran International later confirmed the individual was Mohammad Javad Khamenei, the eldest grandson of Ali Khamenei and son of his oldest son, Mostafa. Javad Khamenei suffered severe facial burns during the Feb. 28 U.S.‑Israeli airstrikes that killed the ayatollah and injured several family members, including Mojtaba, whose face was also badly disfigured. The six‑day funeral at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad drew up to 43 million mourners, according to state media. Following the burial, Mojtaba Khamenei posted a written message on Telegram promising to avenge his father’s death.