Arabic version: إيران تحيي ذكرى القائد الأعلى الراحل خامنئي في مراسم جنازة كبيرة
The body of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lies in state in a vast hall in Tehran as top Iranian officials and foreign dignitaries pay their respects, marking the beginning of a week of funeral ceremonies. Black-clad mourners carried Khamenei’s coffin aloft at the vast Grand Mosalla religious complex in the capital, Tehran, draped with the national flag of the Islamic Republic that he led for more than three decades. According to Al Jazeera, authorities expect public mourning and grand processions to attract millions before Khamenei’s burial next week, four months after the 86-year-old leader was killed at his compound on February 28, the first day of a joint United States-Israeli war on Iran. Alongside Khamenei’s casket lay those of his three-year-old granddaughter, eldest daughter, son-in-law and daughter-in-law – all killed in the strike on February 28.
World leaders from neutral or friendly states are attending the six days of commemoration, with more than 50 delegations having already paid their respects. Notable attendees include the presidents of Iraq, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, as well as Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Notably, several European countries were not invited due to their perceived support for the military campaign against Iran.
Iranian authorities anticipate millions will flood the streets of Tehran starting Saturday, in scenes reminiscent of the 1989 funeral of Khamenei’s predecessor, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, attended by an estimated 10 million people. The turnout is expected to be higher this year, with significant attendance anticipated in Qom and holy cities in Iraq. Mourners have engaged in traditional practices, such as throwing scarves toward Khamenei’s coffin, seen as a blessing.
The funeral is viewed as a critical moment for Iran, projecting a message of unity in the face of external threats. Analysts suggest that the event serves to strengthen the government’s position rather than weaken it, countering the intentions of the US and Israel, who aimed for regime change.
