MASHHAD: Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was laid to rest on Friday in his hometown of Mashhad, bringing a week-long period of national mourning toward its close.
Successor Absent from Burial
According to Iranian state television, Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, did not appear in public during the burial ceremony. He was reportedly seriously injured in the February 28 attack that killed his father, and observers say his continued absence reflects ongoing uncertainty and tension within Iran’s leadership.
Funeral Procession to the Shrine
On Thursday, the funeral procession reached the Shrine of Imam Reza, Iran’s holiest religious site, for the burial. Large crowds gathered in the shrine’s courtyard, with some participants carrying banners declaring, “We will kill Trump.”
According to Reuters, the coffin was transported by truck through Mashhad’s crowded streets toward the shrine’s golden dome and minarets, with clerics in white turbans lining the procession route on both sides. Mourners dressed in black followed behind, carrying Iranian flags, portraits of the late Khamenei, and red banners bearing revolutionary slogans.
The crowds grew so dense that the truck carrying the coffin could no longer move forward. A helicopter was then used to transport the coffin the remaining short distance, after which it was placed on a carpet where clerics stood behind it and offered prayers.
Regional Tensions Persist
Despite an earlier ceasefire, tensions between Iran and the United States intensified again this week. Iran continues to maintain control over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and claims it successfully withstood months of military operations by Israel and the United States, which it describes as its most powerful adversaries.
A Show of Support for the Establishment
Iranian officials have pointed to the massive public turnout at Khamenei’s funeral and burial as evidence of continued popular support for the country’s religious establishment and its ideological commitment, nearly half a century after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Remains Taken to Karbala, Millions Attend Procession
Ayatollah Khamenei’s remains were brought to Karbala on Tuesday night, where the body was taken to the shrines of Hazrat Abbas and Imam Hussain. According to the governor’s office, approximately 7 million mourners attended the procession in the city.
Funeral Prayers Offered in Najaf
Before arriving in Karbala, Ayatollah Khamenei’s remains were taken to Najaf, where funeral prayers were offered at the shrine of Hazrat Ali. Officials estimated that around 3.8 million people gathered at the shrine and surrounding areas for the prayers.
Millions Mourn in Tehran and Qom
The Najaf and Karbala rites followed two earlier days of mourning inside Iran. On Monday, millions of people attended funeral prayers for the late Seyyed Ali Khamenei and his family members in Tehran, followed by similar mass gatherings in Qom on Tuesday.
The funeral proceedings, spanning Tehran, Qom, Najaf, and Karbala before culminating in Mashhad, reflect the scale of mourning across the region following the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader.