Large crowds of black-clad mourners have filled the courtyard of Tehran’s Grand Mosalla to salute the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of his funeral.
The former Supreme Leader’s body lies in state at the mosque, slated for burial in his hometown of Mashhad on Thursday. Authorities project 15–20 million participants across Iran and Iraq throughout the six‑day commemoration, more than four months after the ayatollah was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes.
Spectators stood in the morning, chanting anti‑U.S. slogans and pledging revenge. “We came because we promised the supreme leader we would stand by him to the very end,” told 37‑year‑old professor Reza to AFP. Another attendee, 40‑year‑old Arash Rahimi, added that Iran has a “blood feud with the United States” and it will never be cordial.
The funeral procession will move through Qom, Najaf, Karbala and back to Iran, culminating in burial at the Imam Reza shrine. Seventy‑five days of ceremonial observances are expected until the first anniversary of Khamenei’s burial.
The event will encompass the former leader’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has largely stayed out of public view, raising questions about health and presence at the ceremonies.
