Assassinated Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei laid to rest in Mashhad

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's assassinated supreme leader, was laid to rest in Mashhad's Shrine of Imam Reza, the country's holiest site, state media reported early Friday. His burial followed a week of mass funeral processions and mourning ceremonies that coincided with a resurgence of conflict with the United States.

Khamenei was killed in the initial strikes launched by the US and Israel on February 28, marking a significant escalation after weeks of a truce in the ongoing four-month war. The US and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire the previous month.

“

I swear by the blood of the supreme leader, Trump, we will kill you!

The whereabouts of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who was proclaimed supreme leader by a clerical assembly in early March, have remained a mystery. He has not appeared publicly since the war began, with only written statements issued. Senior sources in Tehran indicate he is recovering from severe injuries, including facial disfigurement and limb wounds, sustained in the same strike that killed his father, preventing him from making public appearances.

As crowds gathered in Mashhad for the funeral cortege, chants demanding revenge against US President Donald Trump echoed through the streets. "I swear by the blood of the supreme leader, Trump, we will kill you!" mourners shouted, with some women holding placards reading "Kill Trump." The defiant chants of "Death to America" also rang out, underscoring the deep animosity following Khamenei's assassination.

“

Death to America