Millions gather in Tehran for Khamenei's funeral, vow revenge on Trump

Millions of Iranians filled the streets of Tehran for the funeral procession of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowing revenge against the United States for his death. The procession began at the Imam Hassan Mojtaba religious gathering place and is set to cover a 10-kilometer route to Azadi Square, expected to last 10 to 12 hours.

An immense crowd lined the route, waving Iranian flags and chanting slogans. With temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, water cannons were deployed to help mourners cope with the heat. Six subway stations in the city were temporarily closed due to concerns about overcrowding and potential stampedes. Three days of public holiday were declared in Tehran for the funeral ceremonies, and the airspace above the city was closed.

“

If you compare this event to the previous one, they are not that different. But the crowd seems much more passionate this time.

Iranian authorities are implementing extensive safety measures, recalling the 1989 funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which resulted in 10 deaths and 10,000 injuries. The health ministry anticipates 15 million people will participate in the six-day funeral events, potentially surpassing the 10.2 million who attended Khomeini's funeral. "If you compare this event to the previous one, they are not that different. But the crowd seems much more passionate this time," said Gholamreza Kambahvaei, who attended both funerals.

“

Hey Trump, you Epstein-like! We will definitely kill you. Wherever you are, we will come for you.

Many mourners directed their anger towards the U.S. and Israel, displaying a 50-meter banner that read, "Hey Trump, you Epstein-like! We will definitely kill you. Wherever you are, we will come for you." Some participants hanged effigies of Trump and threw stones and water bottles at his image on street propaganda. "We are not here to say goodbye to him, but to take revenge. We will definitely take revenge," stated mourner Fatemeh Hassan.

The funeral procession also included families of students killed in a U.S. airstrike on a school in Minab. Prominent figures of the Iranian regime, including the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ahmad Vahidi, and Khamenei's sons, attended the ceremonies. Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, who was reportedly elected Supreme Leader in March, has not yet appeared publicly, possibly due to security concerns. Following the Tehran procession, Khamenei's remains will be flown to Qom for further ceremonies before being transported to Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, and finally interred in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9. A professor at Georgetown University in Qatar suggested the large-scale funeral demonstrates the Iranian regime's "immense confidence" in its continuity and the transition to a new leadership.

“

We are not here to say goodbye to him, but to take revenge. We will definitely take revenge.