Funeral ceremonies for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28, officially began Saturday in Tehran. Iranian authorities anticipate that between 15 and 20 million people will participate in the capital alone over the next three days of mourning.
Mourners flooded the streets of Tehran, carrying flags and red banners symbolizing vengeance, chanting "death to America!" and "Revenge, revenge!" Thousands gathered in the courtyard of the Grand Mosalla religious complex, where Khamenei's casket, displayed in a glass case with his black turban atop it, was unveiled. Many mourners expressed deep sorrow and commitment to defending their country and religion.
Six days of funeral ceremonies are planned for Khamenei, who led the Islamic republic from 1989 until his death at age 86. The ceremonies are set to be the largest public event in Iran since the burial of his predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989. Security measures have been significantly increased, with road closures and expected airspace restrictions.
The casket will lie in state until Monday, followed by a procession through Tehran. On Tuesday, it will be moved to the clerical city of Qom, then to holy Shia Muslim cities in neighboring Iraq, before burial on Thursday in Khamenei's hometown of Mashhad.
Officials who survived the conflict showed their grief, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf visibly tearful. Ahmad Vahidi, who was named chief of the powerful Revolutionary Guards after his predecessor was killed in the same strikes that killed Khamenei, also paid his respects. Analysts will be watching for signs of Khamenei's son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named supreme leader a week after his father's killing but has not yet appeared in public. He was reportedly wounded in the same strikes that killed his father, though the extent of his injuries remains unclear.
International guests attending the ceremonies included Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Russian ex-president Dmitry Medvedev representing President Vladimir Putin, and representatives from the Taliban government in Afghanistan, as well as from Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also attended.
Iranian officials have warned that Tehran is prepared to resume fighting if necessary. Army chief Amir Hatami vowed that Israel and the United States "will pay for the blood of the martyred leader and all the nation's martyrs." Meanwhile, Israel's threats to kill Mojtaba Khamenei have drawn a warning from Iran's joint military command.
Amid the funeral proceedings, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at Mount Rushmore, stated, "We knocked the hell out of Iran. They want to settle so badly. We gave them a week off for a funeral." In Tehran, some mourners displayed flags with the hashtag "#KillTrump."
Authorities are implementing significant security measures, including temperature checks and spraying water on roads to cool attendees amidst high temperatures, mindful of the risk of crowd crushes that have occurred at similar events in the past. Media broadcasts included guidelines on crowd safety.
Other relatives killed in the strikes, including Khamenei's infant granddaughter and Mojtaba Khamenei's late wife, will also be buried. The funeral ceremonies, which began on Saturday, are a significant public event marking the death of a leader who shaped Iran for over three decades.