Iran's Former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Buried

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's former supreme leader, has been buried in his hometown of Mashhad, over four months after his assassination. The private ceremony was held at the Imam Reza shrine, with state media reporting that mourning ceremonies have been ongoing for about a week in Iran and neighboring Iraq.

Khamenei was killed on February 28 by an Israeli airstrike on his official residence in Tehran. This event triggered a war between the United States and Israel against Iran, which lasted until a ceasefire was agreed upon in early April. Despite the ceasefire and a framework agreement to end the conflict, mutual attacks have occurred multiple times since then.

Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, has been appointed as the new head of state, though he has not appeared publicly since the appointment. State media claims millions of Iranians participated in the days-long mourning ceremonies. As supreme leader, Khamenei held the final say on all crucial matters in the Islamic Republic and was the highest religious authority. For decades, he was considered untouchable.

While his supporters venerate him as a martyr who fell resisting a militarily superior enemy, a significant portion of Iran's population of approximately 86 million is likely indifferent or opposed to the state-sanctioned mourning. Internally, Khamenei's regime enforced control and repression, with no tolerance for criticism. During recent protest waves, demonstrators repeatedly chanted, "Death to the dictator."