One hundred days after former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was assassinated in his office in Tehran, the Islamic Republic has yet to bury the man who ruled the country for more than three decades.

The delay has become one of the most unusual and politically sensitive aspects of Iran’s post-war transition. While senior military commanders and government officials who were killed in the same strike have already been laid to rest, repeated promises of a massive state funeral for Khamenei have yet to materialize.

Officials in Tehran have spoken of plans for a multi-day funeral procession later this month. According to those plans, ceremonies would be held in several cities before Khamenei is ultimately buried in the holy city of Mashhad.

The lengthy delay stands in contrast to Shiite religious tradition, which generally favors prompt burial except under extraordinary circumstances, such as uncertainty surrounding the circumstances of death. Several Shiite clerics have argued that unnecessary delays should be avoided if they risk showing disrespect to the deceased.

The television network Iran International reported that the absence of a funeral has fueled speculation regarding the condition of Khamenei’s remains following the attack in which he was killed. Iranian media reports concerning other officials who died in the same strike described bodies that were recovered only weeks later and identified through DNA testing after suffering extensive damage.

Iranian authorities have released no information regarding the condition or location of Khamenei’s remains. The unanswered questions surrounding his burial have merged with another mystery: the continuing disappearance of his designated successor.

Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed leadership following his father’s death, has not appeared publicly since the assassination. Officials insist that he survived the attack and suffered only minor injuries, but reports and rumors of more serious wounds have continued to circulate.

If Mojtaba Khamenei is alive and actively governing, he would rank among Israel’s highest-priority targets. Any major public appearance could pose significant security risks.

That reality complicates what would ordinarily be a defining moment for a new leader. The funeral of a supreme leader is not merely a religious ceremony; it is also a powerful display of political continuity. The successor’s absence from such an event would be difficult to explain, while his attendance could expose him to risks that authorities may be unwilling to accept.

For now, 100 days after Khamenei’s death, Iran has officially selected a successor but has yet to present him publicly. It has promised a historic farewell to its longtime leader but has not delivered one. And it continues to grapple with questions that neither official statements nor public ceremonies have been able to answer.

{Matzav.com}