Khamenei’s other sons appear at his funeral in Iran as new supreme leader remains in hiding | National News

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s top officials and brothers of the new supreme leader emerged into public view Sunday to attend funeral prayers for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Their appearance signaled confidence in their safety as Iran pushes back on U.S. demands in negotiations to permanently end the war.

Crowds of hundreds of thousands chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” as they called for revenge over the Feb. 28 attack that killed the 86-year-old supreme leader and other top officials, triggering the war. Some hard-liners called for the assassination of U.S. President Donald Trump.

kAmxC2?’D ?6H DFAC6>6 =6256C[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^:C2?\F?:E65\DE2E6D\:DC26=\DFAC6>6\=6256C\>@;E232\<92>6?6:\a_h464_be_eg3c_747432a36f24f6a3_QmpJ2E@==29 |@;E232 z92>6?6:k^2m[ 92D J6E E@ >2<6 2? 2AA62C2?46 😕 E96 7F?6C2= 46C6>@?:6D[ H9:49 2C6 F?7@=5:?8 @G6C D6G6C2= 52JD] w6 😀 36=:6G65 E@ 36 😕 9:5:?8 27E6C C6A@CE65=J 36:?8 H@F?565 😕 E96 2:CDEC:<6 E92E <:==65 9:D 72E96C]k^Am

kAmpE E96 96:89E @7 E96 H2C[ 367@C6 2? pAC:= 462D67:C6[ xDC26= 925 E2C86E65 E@A =6256CD[ 😕 2E =62DE @?6 42D6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^:C2?\FD\:DC26=\H2C\=2C:;2?:\32D:;\D64FC:EJ\AC@E6DED\2b`bc_fhcba2fa__`g_ceh6c_h2c7526Qm=:<6=J FD:?8 E96:C AF3=:4 2AA62C2?46k^2m E@ 7:I E96:C A@D:E:@?] xE 92D 2=D@ E9C62E6?65 E@ <:== E96 J@F?86C z92>6?6:]k^Am

kAm%96 &]$] 😀 >62?H9:=6 AC6DD:?8 29625 H:E9 ?68@E:2E:@?D H:E9 xC2? 2:>65 2E 7F==J C6@A6?:?8 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^DEC2:E\@7\9@C>FKQm$EC2:E @7 w@C>FKk^2m 2?5 C@==:?8 324< :ED 5:DAFE65 ?F4=62C AC@8C2>]k^Am

kAm+:32 }256C:[ 2 ca\J62C\@=5 ?FCD6 2EE6?5:?8 E96 7F?6C2= $F?52J[ D2:5 xC2? ?66565 E@ 9665 |@;E232 z92>6?6:VD 4@>>2?5D] “x 962C5 E96 42== 7@C C6G6?86[ 3FE @FC =6256C D9@F=5 D2J H92E H6 ?665 E@ 5@[” D96 D2:5] “p?5 H6 >FDE =:DE6? E@ 9:>]”k^Am

k9am%@A @77:4:2=D 2AA62C 2D E96 4C@H5 D:K6 DH6==Dk^9am

kAmpJ2E@==29 y272C $@392?:[ 2 hf\J62C\@=5 $9::E6 4=6C:4[ =65 E96 AC2J6CD 2E %69C2?VD vC2?5 |@D2==2 7@C E96 =2E6 z92>6?6: 9:D 72>:=J >6>36CD <:==65 😕 E96 DEC:<6]k^Am

kAm~? 92?5 H6C6 z92>6?6:’D @E96C D@?D[ |2D@F5[ |6JD2> 2?5 |@DE272[ H9@ 92G6?VE 366? D66? D:?46 E96 H2C] #6G@=FE:@?2CJ vF2C5 9625 v6?] p9>25 ’29:5:[ H9@ H2D A9@E@8C2A965 7@C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2=:\<92>6?6:\7F?6C2=\DFAC6>6\=6256C\:C2?\FD\H2C\;F=J\b\a_ae\ddc5c7_d7cb6333ge7g`ga`63`g4_hafQmE96 7:CDE E:>6 D:?46 E96 H2C @? %9FCD52Jk^2m[ 4@F=5 36 D66? 😕 E96 4C@H5 3J pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD ;@FC?2=:DED[ 7=2?<65 3J A=2:?4=@E96D D64FC:EJ 7@C46D 2?5 H62C:?8 2 3=24< 32D632== 42A]k^Am

kAmxC2?’D !C6D:56?E |2D@F5 !6K6D9<:2?[ !2C=:2>6?E DA62<6C |@92>>25 q2896C “2=:327 — k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^:C2?\>@92>>25\32896C\B2=:327\FD\:DC26=\H2C\2d753h5fcb4bbad`dd52_34h`cdg_ff5QmH9@ 92D =65 E96 ?68@E:2E:@?Dk^2m H:E9 E96 &]$] — 2?5 tD>2:= “22?:[ H9@ =625D E96 6=:E6 “F5D u@C46 @7 E96 A2C2>:=:E2CJ #6G@=FE:@?2CJ vF2C5[ 2=D@ 2EE6?565]k^Am

kAm%96 4C@H5 925 8C@H? 7C@> E96 52J 367@C6] |@FC?6CD 5C6DD65 😕 3=24< 42CC:65 32??6CD 2?5 7=28D 9@?@C:?8 z92>6?6:]k^Am

k9am$@>6 >6?E:@? %CF>A 3J ?2>6 2D >@FC?6CD 42== 7@C C6G6?86k^9am

kAm!@DE6CD 2?5 8C277:E: 2E E96 vC2?5 |@D2==2 42==65 7@C E96 <:==:?8 @7 %CF>A 2?5 xDC26=: !C:>6 |:?:DE6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^36?;2>:?\?6E2?J29FQmq6?;2>:? }6E2?J29Fk^2m]k^Am

kAm“(9J 😀 E96 3:886DE 32DE2C5 😕 E96 H@C=5 DE:== 2=:G6n” |@92>>25 #2D@F=:[ 2 A@6E H9@ 6>4665 E96 6G6?E 367@C6 E96 AC2J6CD[ D2:5 E@ E96 4C@H5 @G6C =@F5DA62<6CD[ C676CC:?8 E@ %CF>A] “%96 H@C=5 😀 ?@ =@?86C 2 8@@5 A=246” 7@C %CF>A[ 96 25565 2D E96 4C@H5 4966C65]k^Am

kAm“x 42>6 96C6 E@ D9@FE 2?5 D66< C6G6?86[” D2:5 v9@=2>C6K2 $23@@?:[ 2 ah\J62C\@=5 >2? H9@ H@C2>[ H6 D9@F=5 <:== E96:C =6256C[ %CF>A]”k^Am

kAm%96 &]$] AC6D:56?E H2D 8:G:?8 2 DA6649 2E E96 D2>6 E:>6 24C@DD E96 H@C=5 😕 (2D9:?8E@?[ s]r][ 7@C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2>6C:42\ad_\H66<6?5\962E\F?:E65\DE2E6D\`6627a`6h`65dgbdhde“ad`ech53hb6QmE96 ad_E9 2??:G6CD2CJ @7 p>6C:42’D 7@F?5:?8k^2m]k^Am

kAm“(6’G6 925 EC6>6?5@FD DF446DD[” %CF>A D2:5 23@FE E96 &]$] >:=:E2CJ] “*@F =@@< 2E ‘6?6KF6=2[ J@F =@@< 2E xC2?] (6 H:A65 :E @FE[ H:A65 @FE E96:C >:=:E2CJ]”k^Am

kAm&]$] 7656C2= 2FE9@C:E:6D 92G6 366? EC24<:?8 xC2?:2? E9C62ED 282:?DE %CF>A 2?5 @E96C 25>:?:DEC2E:@? @77:4:2=D 7@C J62CD] %92E DE6>D 7C@> %CF>A @C56C:?8 E96 a_a_ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2A\E@A\?6HD\E69C2?\:?E6C?2E:@?2=\?6HD\:C2B\2=:\<92>6?6:\ddhf77_7_ce2efg_d44abb5dhbb2db65Qm<:==:?8 @7 v6?] “2DD6> $@=6:>2?:k^2m[ H9@ 925 =65 E96 “F5D u@C46] xC2? C6A62E65=J 92D 56?:65 A=@EE:?8 E@ <:== %CF>A[ E9@F89 92C5\=:?6 AC@A282?52 7@@E286 =@?8 92D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>:55=6\62DE\:C2?\5@?2=5\ECF>A\>2C\2\=28@\3289525\`efa6hfce_ef7h6g`d`2f3aa6ehged3gQmDF886DE65 %CF>A H2D 😕 %69C2?VD 4C@DD92:CDk^2m]k^Am

kAm%CF>A >62?H9:=6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^ECF>A\:C2?\E9C62ED\4:G:=:K2E:@?\H2C\4C:>6D\fdg63d45eg_5f5afd4c6`4bg3a6_`6e5QmAC@>:D65 E@ 56DEC@J xC2?VD G6CJ 4:G:=:K2E:@?k^2m 5FC:?8 E96 H2C[ 2>@?8 @E96C E9C62ED]k^Am

k9amuF?6C2= A@DEA@?6D E2=

kAmz92>6?6:’D 3@5J H:== 36 EC2?DA@CE65 E@ 4:E:6D 😕 xC2? 2?5 ?6:893@C:?8 xC2B[ H:E9 2FE9@C:E:6D A=2??:?8 E@ 5C:G6 9:D 42D<6E 2?5 @E96CD E9C@F89 E96 DEC66ED @7 %69C2? @? |@?52J] pFE9@C:E:6D 92G6 D9FE 5@H? DEC66ED[ 2:CDA246 2?5 52:=J =:76 7@C E96 >@FC?:?8[ H9:49 H:== 6?5 %9FCD52J 2D 96 😀 3FC:65 2E E96 x>2> #6K2 D9C:?6 😕 |2D9925[ z92>6?6:’D A=246 @7 3:CE9]k^Am

kAmpFE9@C:E:6D @776C65 ?@ 2EE6?52?46 4@F?E 7@C E96 6G6?E $2EFC52J 2?5 $F?52J] ~E96C 4:E:6D 24C@DD xC2? 2=D@ 96=5 >@FC?:?8 46C6>@?:6D]k^Am

kAm%2=2?6?E 6?5 E@ E96 H2C 2AA62C E@ 36 @? 9@=5 F?E:= E96 6?5 @7 E96 7F?6C2=]k^Am

kAm%96 7F?6C2= H2D 😕 A2CE 2 D9@H @7 F?:EJ 2?5 567:2?46 2D xC2? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^:C2?\DEC2:E\9@C>FK\@:=\C@FE6\FD\D9:AA:?8\56hg`67gf276g52e`f_fe76chc4bfcgaQm56>2?5D 2 >62DFC6 @7 4@?EC@=k^2m @G6C E96 $EC2:E @7 w@C>FK[ 2 G:E2= H2E6CH2J 7@C 8=@32= 6?6C8J E92E :E D9FE 5@H? 5FC:?8 E96 H2C] %96 &]$] 92D C6;64E65 E9@D6 56>2?5D[ 2?5 E96 D:56D 2C6 5:G:565 @? @E96C <6J :DDF6D[ :?4=F5:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^:C2?\FD\:DC26=\=632?@?\@:=\;F?6\`h\a_ae\ebd25e7c`e`_57gbdd5ac44b_`2fd74cQmE96 4@?7=:4E 36EH66? xDC26= 2?5 E96 xC2?\324<65 w6K3@==29k^2m 😕 {632?@? 2?5 xC2?VD ?F4=62C AC@8C2>]k^Am

kAm%96 &]$] 2DD:DE65 f_ EC2?D:ED @7 E96 $EC2:E @7 w@C>FK @G6C E96 A2DE fa 9@FCD[ :?4=F5:?8 `g @? $2EFC52J[ 2 >F=E:?2E:@?2= >2C:E:>6 3@5J @G6CD66? 3J E96 &]$] }2GJ D2:5 $F?52J] xE 42==65 EC277:4 DE625J 2=@?8 C@FE6D ?62C ~>2? 2?5 xC2? 3FE DE:== 36=@H AC6H2C =6G6=D] %96 E9C62E =6G6= C6>2:?65 “DF3DE2?E:2=” 2?5 >:?6 4=62C2?46 2?5 DFCG6J:?8 H@C< 4@?E:?F65]k^Am

kAm“~FC 7@C6:8? A@=:4J D9@F=5 ?@E 36 D92A65 😕 2 H2J E92E 2==@HD @FC >2CEJC65 =6256C’D 3=@@5 E@ 36 5:D9@?@C65 2?5 @E96C 4@F?EC:6D 42? 277@C5 E@ 5@ DF49 E9:?8D[ H:E9@FE 2?J D6C:@FD C6DA@?D6 7C@> @FC 8@G6C?>6?E 2?5 5:A=@>2E:4 DJDE6>[” >@FC?6C |@92>>25 #6K2 $92C:7: D2:5]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmv2>3C6== C6A@CE65 7C@> sF32:[ &?:E65 pC23 t>:C2E6D] pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD HC:E6C r2C2 p??2 😕 {@HG:==6[ }6H *@C<[ 4@?EC:3FE65]k^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.