During the funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei, the appearance of a man with his face obscured and wearing a black hat sparked a wave of speculation on social media. The individual was positioned in a prominent spot within the small group gathered at a family event, as confirmed by news agency ANSA.

Many users immediately hypothesized that the man could be Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Supreme Leader, who may have attended his father's funeral in disguise. According to Libero, AI-generated videos and photos of a clean-shaven man wearing a black baseball cap subsequently circulated online, reportedly shared also by pro-regime journalists. The state broadcaster reportedly showed images of a man with a large mask on his face and a black hat, placed in the front row during a private event reserved for family members and close friends.

Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly not made any public appearance since being appointed Supreme Leader about four months ago, a detail reported by Libero. This absence has fueled discussion about his condition, with some speculating about possible health issues or even his death, a thesis rejected by the Iranian regime and Western intelligence services, which reportedly consider him alive but with possible health problems.

According to the same source, Mojtaba had expressed a wish to attend his father's funeral, but the Pasdaran reportedly vetoed the participation for security reasons, fearing they could not guarantee full protection at such a crowded and delicate event.

Meanwhile, Il Giornale reported that a cleric came forward claiming to be the masked man, which, if confirmed, would defuse the theory linking the individual to the new Supreme Leader. Analysts continue to examine the available footage.

At this stage, the identity of the man remains unconfirmed and the matter remains an open subject of debate.