The Eastern Voice 

Mashaad (Iran). Iran has buried former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Mashhad, four months after he was killed in an airstrike. The funeral was delayed and took place under heavy security as a fragile ceasefire collapsed into a fresh exchange of US and Iranian military strikes.

After US strikes near nuclear sites and Iran’s retaliation with ballistic missiles, the region is now on the brink of a wider war.

Notably, Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, did not make any public appearance during the large funeral procession. His absence highlights strict security measures as Tehran goes through a tense leadership transition during the ongoing conflict.