“He’s still AWOL.”

Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly been prevented from attending the funeral of his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, amid fears that Israel could target him if he appears in public.

Mojtaba had requested permission to carry out funeral rites over his father’s body as the late ayatollah is scheduled to be buried in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9, marking the conclusion of a multi-day state funeral.

However, security officials rejected the request, according to two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members who spoke to the New York Times.

Intelligence and security assessments inside Iran reportedly warn that Israel could attempt another assassination if Mojtaba Khamenei exposes himself, even for a highly symbolic public appearance.

As a result, officials have reportedly instructed him to remain completely concealed and to avoid any form of public signaling. Security sources have even gone so far as to say he should not reveal himself “in any way, even to the extent of releasing his voice,” according to Mohammad Hossein Khoshvaght, a relative cited by Iranian media.

The younger Khamenei has not been seen or heard from publicly since the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, which killed his father, his wife, and his teenage son.

Since then, his presence has been limited to written statements or brief messages released through state media and social media platforms.

His prolonged disappearance has fueled speculation and mockery inside Iran, where some have nicknamed him the “cardboard ayatollah,” a reference to the fact that his image rather than his physical presence has become the primary way citizens encounter him.

He is widely believed to be hiding in a fortified underground bunker, a location that has reportedly evaded even U.S. and Israeli intelligence efforts.

He also did not attend a recent memorial ceremony for his wife, Zahra Hadad-Adel, held in Tehran, though it remains unclear whether he intended to appear.

“US intelligence assessed Mojtaba Khamenei as “probably gay” and briefed President Trump to that effect, The Post reported back in March.”

Despite his absence, large-scale mourning events for Ali Khamenei have continued, including a major public viewing in Tehran where hundreds of thousands gathered to pay respects.

The late leader’s body was displayed in the capital’s Grand Mosalla courtyard, drawing massive crowds as part of the ongoing state funeral proceedings.

Iranian officials have not publicly commented on Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence from the ceremonies or on the security restrictions surrounding him.