Crowds loyal to Iran's Islamic Republic gathered at the Grand Mosalla religious complex on Saturday, where Khamenei's body is lying in state before a multi-day procession through Iran and Iraq. The funeral has become a show of political defiance, with mourners reportedly chanting “death to America” and “revenge, revenge” inside the vast venue.
Mourners Express Defiance and Grief
Delegations from Tehran-backed militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas also attended the ceremonies and met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to state media. Supporters dressed in black filled the complex as temperatures in Tehran approached 40C, with water mist sprayed over the crowds to keep mourners cool.
Many waved blood-red flags, associated in Shia Islam with vengeance and justice, while others beat their chests in grief beneath a large portrait of the late leader.
“We came [to the funeral] because we promised the supreme leader we would stand by him to the very end,” 37-year-old professor Reza told AFP. “For a long time, we shouted that we would sacrifice our lives for the leader, but it was he who sacrificed himself for us.”
Another mourner, Arash Rahimi, told Reuters: “Everyone here has come to avenge the blood of their supreme leader. As our leader has said, we have a blood feud with the United States. Our relations with the United States will never be good.”
Massive Attendance Expected
Iranian authorities expect between 15 and 20 million people to attend commemorations over the span of the week, with the ceremonies forecast to become one of the largest public funerals in modern history. Khamenei, 86, was killed on February 28 during the first day of the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
His funeral was originally planned for March but was postponed as the war raged on. The coffin will remain at Tehran's Grand Mosalla for three days before travelling to the holy city of Qom, then crossing into Iraq for ceremonies in Najaf and Karbala. It will return to Iran for burial at the Imam Reza Shrine in Khamenei's hometown, Mashhad, on Thursday.
More than 100 countries are expected to send representatives to the commemorations, including officials from Pakistan, Russia, China, India, Turkiye and several neighbouring nations. Much of central Tehran has been placed under tight security during the commemorations.
Military Warnings and Succession
Meanwhile, Iranian military leaders have warned the United States and Israel against launching any further attacks during the funeral period. “We warn the enemies of Iran, especially the U.S. and the Zionist regime [Israel], to avoid any miscalculation and to think about the harsh retaliation our armed forces would make to any threat and aggression against our country,” commander Ali Abdollahi said in a statement carried by Iranian state media.
Khamenei was succeeded as Iran's supreme leader by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who is not expected to attend the funeral because of security concerns following reported assassination threats.
