Iran urges huge turnout at Khamenei’s funeral to 'avenge' his death

Iran's chief negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has urged a massive public turnout at the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes at the war's outset. Ghalibaf called on the Iranian people to "write a glorious page in the history of Islamic Iran" at the ceremonies, which begin Saturday, emphasizing that "the nation’s call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world."

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I invite all the Iranian people… to write a glorious page in the history of Islamic Iran through your presence at the funeral ceremonies starting Saturday.

Khamenei, 86, died on February 28, the first day of the war. His funeral, initially delayed, will proceed as Iran and the United States observe a fragile ceasefire following a preliminary deal to halt the conflict. The public funeral will commence at the Grand Mosalla complex in Tehran, where Khamenei's body will lie in state alongside those of his slain relatives.

Officials project that between 15 and 20 million mourners will attend, which would establish it as the largest state funeral in Iran's history. To accommodate the event, Tehran, along with the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad, will observe public holidays. Authorities have mandated closures for public and private offices in Tehran from Saturday through Monday, and significant traffic restrictions will be in place. The airspace over Tehran will also be partially closed starting Friday and fully closed on Monday.

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The nation’s call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world.

Following the main ceremonies in Tehran, Khamenei's body will be transported to the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala before his burial on July 9 at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad. It remains uncertain whether Khamenei's son and successor, Mojtaba, will attend the main ceremony. Representatives from approximately 30 countries are expected to be present, with mourners anticipated from neighboring Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

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Iran… is preparing to experience one of the most significant moments in its history.