Three months after succeeding his father as Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei has still not appeared in public or recorded any audio message, heightening uncertainty about the regime's direction. His absence was made conspicuous when his brothers — Mustafa, Massoud and Meysam — stood together beside their father's coffin during funeral processions in Tehran.
The mass funeral for Ali Khamenei, killed along with other family members on February 28 — the first day of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran — drew millions into the streets. The poet Mohammad Rasouli used the ceremony to call for Trump's death, declaring: "I swear by your blood; Trump's murder is our responsibility."
With the supreme leader taking a less visible role, other power players within the Iranian regime have become more independent and outspoken, jockeying for position in what remains an unclear succession. The Revolutionary Guard Corps and other factions now operate with greater autonomy, and the ultimate shape of Iran's governance is still uncertain.
The public calls for Trump's assassination underscore the deep hostility following the U.S.-Israeli military campaign, and could complicate any future diplomatic efforts. The absence of a publicly active supreme leader leaves a vacuum that may empower hardliners or trigger internal competition.
Analysts see the situation as a potential turning point: while the supreme leader remains Iran's ultimate authority on paper, a hidden or weakened leader could shift actual decision-making toward military commanders or clerical rivals, with unpredictable consequences for regional stability.