At the massive public memorial service for Iran’s late leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, one person is “present in his absence.”

At a time when Tehran is welcoming high-level delegations from around the world—from Turkey to Armenia and from Russia to China— Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is absent from his father’s funeral. As for the reasons for his absence—and why he must stop being “absent” from the public sphere— Paul Masgray, an associate professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, explained to Al Jazeera.

The analyst stated that it is understandable why Iran’s current supreme leader is not attending his father’s funeral.

“Iran has considered the possibility that Israel might carry out a second decapitation strike (against the Iranian leadership) here (at the funeral). In the past, Israel has used funeral processions to target political leaders,” he explained.

But, as Masgrove pointed out, ultimately, the country’s leader will have to appear in public, adding that it has been months since Mojtaba appeared in person.

“I think that ultimately Iran will have to find a way to show that this is not a hidden supreme leader, but someone who is truly in charge. Despite the legitimate security concerns Tehran may have, they will ultimately have to do this,” Masgrove pointed out.

Tehran faces a difficult puzzle: to organize a public appearance by Mojtaba Khamenei that conveys power and absolute control, as his father once did, while simultaneously minimizing the risk of becoming a target. Until that happens, Iran’s leadership will remain in limbo in the eyes of the international community, operating visibly under a regime of absolute fear of retaliation from its adversaries, despite the threats it issues.

Source: skai.gr