Iran holds funeral for Khamenei on US Bicentennial, chants of 'Revenge' echo

Iran commenced the funeral proceedings for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on July 4, approximately four months after his death in a U.S. and Israeli airstrike. The ceremony, held in Tehran, drew tens of thousands of citizens who chanted anti-U.S. slogans and called for revenge. Coincidentally, the date marked the 250th anniversary of the United States' founding.

Some analysts propose that Iranian authorities might have strategically chosen this date to foster anti-American sentiment and rally nationalistic support. The funeral events are scheduled to continue across Iran until July 9.

According to reports from Reuters and The Guardian, Iranian officials displayed Khamenei's glass-encased coffin in a public square, the Imam Khomeini Musalla. A black turban, symbolizing his lineage as a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, was placed atop the coffin. The remains of four family members, including his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and 14-month-old granddaughter, who also perished in the airstrike, were placed alongside his.