Iran's week-long funeral for former leader Ali Khamenei enters second day amid war

Iran's funeral for former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei entered its second day on Sunday, with mourners gathering at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran. Khamenei was killed in February during the opening strikes of "Operation Roaring Lion." His funeral, delayed due to the ongoing war, began Saturday with chants of "death to America, death to Israel." Ceremonies are expected to last at least a week.

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death to America, death to Israel

Television footage showed Khamenei's coffin draped with the Iranian flag and topped with his black turban. It was placed with four other coffins of his slain family members on a large black platform resembling the Kaaba. Mourners were also heard chanting, "Our slogan is one word: Revenge, revenge," and "We will kill, we will kill he who killed our Imam."

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Our slogan is one word: Revenge, revenge

Notably, Khamenei's son and the current supreme leader of Iran, Mojtaba, did not attend the funeral opening. The New York Times reported that Mojtaba's absence stemmed from the regime's fear that Israel would attempt to assassinate him during the event. The commander of Khatam al-Anbiya, Iran's Joint Command, Ali Abdollahi, warned Israel and the US against making "any miscalculation" during the week-long funeral, threatening "harsh and regrettable responses" in case of an attack.

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We will kill, we will kill he who killed our Imam

Khamenei's body is expected to be taken to Qom, Najaf, and Kerbala, major Shi'ite centers in Iran and Iraq, before being laid to rest on Thursday in Mashhad. The coffin was displayed in an "unannounced event" in Tehran on Thursday, according to footage shared by the State TV broadcaster. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Ahmad Vahidi was seen standing alongside the coffin, marking his first public appearance since the start of the Israel-Iran War.

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any miscalculation