Iran has concluded a seven-day state funeral for its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with authorities claiming that more than 15 million mourners participated in ceremonies held across Iran and Iraq.
Khamenei, who led Iran for nearly 37 years, was laid to rest in his hometown of Mashhad, bringing to an end one of the largest funeral processions in the country’s modern history. The funeral began last Saturday and passed through several major cities, including Tehran, Qom, Najaf and Karbala, before concluding in Mashhad.
The funeral procession began at around 3:00 pm on Imam Reza Street and concluded late in the evening at the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (AS), where funeral prayers were led by Khamenei’s eldest son, Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Mostafa Hosseini Khamenei. The procession also honoured members of Khamenei’s family who were killed alongside him, reports IRNA news agency.
Huge crowds lined the procession route, surrounding the vehicle carrying the remains of the late leader and his family members. Mourners waved Iranian national flags and red flags symbolizing vengeance, while chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” echoed through the streets.
