Iran begins dayslong funeral for Supreme Leader Khamenei, killed in war

Hundreds of thousands of Iranians began dayslong funeral ceremonies on Saturday for their late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a Feb. 28 airstrike at the start of the Iran war. Mourners gathered in Tehran, beating their chests in sorrow before Khamenei's flag-draped coffin and chanting calls for revenge against Israel and the United States.

The funeral, which was delayed by the ongoing war, could provide a boost for Iran's theocracy and its new supreme leader, Khamenei's son Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. This comes as Iran seeks to leverage its influence over the Strait of Hormuz in negotiations with the U.S. for a permanent end to the war, while concerns linger about potential Israeli attacks.

Mourners expressed deep grief, with one attendee, Masoumeh Mohammadi, stating, "Imam Khamenei was our heart, our father, our everything. I still can't believe they martyred him. We will not rest until we avenge his death." The ceremony featured a stage set up at the Grand Mosalla, resembling Khamenei's former speaking venue, complete with a chair and microphone. Billboards across the city displayed Khamenei's image, and crowds of men rhythmically beat their chests in mourning, a common practice at Shiite funerals.

The funeral marks only the second time Iran has lost a supreme leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Volunteers sprayed cooling water on the crowds in the summer heat, and attendees underwent security checks. The coffins of Khamenei's family members, also killed in the airstrike, were placed beneath his.

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Imam Khamenei was our heart, our father, our everything. I still can't believe they martyred him. We will not rest until we avenge his death.