As hundreds of thousands of mourners gather in Tehran to pay their respects to former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, attention is increasingly shifting to the conspicuous absence of his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei. While three of Ali Khamenei’s sons attended funeral prayers, Mojtaba has remained out of public view, fuelling speculation about his health, security and whereabouts. With the six-day funeral ceremonies continuing until July 9, the mystery surrounding Iran’s new supreme leader is becoming a major story in its own right.

