Iran has commenced a week of mass funeral processions for its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 in airstrikes attributed to Israel and the United States at the outset of the ongoing war. On Sunday, three of Khamenei's sons—Mostafa, Meysam, and Masoud—participated in prayers at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran alongside the coffins of their father and four other family members.
Mojtaba Khamenei, who is widely considered his father's successor, did not make an appearance at the public ceremonies. Sources close to his inner circle told Reuters that Mojtaba was injured in the attack that killed his father and other relatives, sustaining facial disfigurement and significant leg injuries. There have been no public sightings or released images of Mojtaba Khamenei since the incident.
Following an initial period lying in state for senior officials and foreign dignitaries, Khamenei's coffin was displayed outdoors under glass on Saturday. The coffins also held those of his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and 14-month-old granddaughter, all of whom perished in the same attack.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf were among those who prayed behind the coffins on Sunday. Masoud Khamenei was observed crying during the funeral prayers, clutching a keffiyeh, a symbol of revolutionary ideals and solidarity with Palestinians.
Large crowds of Iranians have gathered at the Mosalla complex, with the Tehran metro reporting over 7 million trips from Saturday evening to Sunday morning as people flocked to the center for the ceremonies.
Funeral Itinerary
After a major procession planned for central Tehran on Monday, Khamenei's remains are scheduled to be transported to Qom, a prominent Shi'ite theological center, for further ceremonies on Tuesday. The funeral proceedings will then move to Iraq, with services planned in the Shi'ite holy cities of Najaf and Kerbala on Wednesday. The body will return to Iran on Thursday for a final procession in Mashhad, where Khamenei will be buried near the tomb of a medieval Shi'ite imam. Authorities are mobilizing millions of people for these events, providing transportation, food, and lodging.
A ceasefire has suspended the four-month-old war, an agreement Iran's government describes as bringing significant economic benefits and representing a victory over a superpower. U.S. President Trump indicated to Axios that peace talks were paused for a week to accommodate the funeral events.