Mojtaba Khamenei’s succession as Iran’s Supreme Leader following his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death in a February 28, 2026 US-Israeli airstrike has been marked by his complete absence from verified public events. Reports cite severe facial and leg injuries sustained in the attack, alongside elevated security risks that could expose him to further targeting, leading regime media to rely on written statements, AI imagery, and limited undated video clips rather than live appearances. He missed his father’s July funeral and the August 20 40-day memorial, where siblings attended instead. Iranian officials have signaled forthcoming footage of meetings or public settings, but questions persist over whether health recovery, institutional power shifts involving the IRGC and Basij, or deliberate seclusion will delay any confirmed in-person appearance amid ongoing regional tensions.