Thousands gather in Tehran as week-long Khamenei funeral rites begin

Thousands of mourners gathered at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran on Saturday as week-long funeral rites for Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei got underway. The ceremonies began with the national anthem, Quran recitations and religious eulogies, with Khamenei’s coffin placed on public display in a glass case for mourners to pay their respects, according to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB. Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Iran that began on February 28.

Foreign delegations

The funeral ceremonies officially began Friday, with foreign leaders and official delegations from across the region and beyond paying tribute. Among the senior dignitaries attending were Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Iraqi President Nizar Amidi, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir. Special flights were added on the Tehran-Mashhad route to meet increasing demand for travel by mourners.

Funeral schedule

Public farewell ceremonies will continue in Tehran through the weekend, followed by the main funeral procession on July 6. The rites will then move to Qom on July 7, followed by ceremonies in Iraq — including Baghdad, Najaf and Karbala — on July 8, where the body will be received by religious and political figures before being taken to major Shia shrines. The final funeral and burial is scheduled for July 9 at the Imam Ali Reza Shrine in Mashhad, one of Shia Islam’s holiest sites.