Huge crowds of mourners gathered in Tehran on Sunday as Iran continued funeral ceremonies for late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with the capital’s Grand Moselle complex and surrounding streets packed with people paying their final respects.Prayers were said over Khamenei’s coffin on the second day of the state funeral, which officials say could eventually involve millions of participants in several days of ceremonies.The huge religious complex was packed with black-clad mourners, many carrying Iranian flags and portraits of the late leader, as they walked through densely packed streets amid heavy security and sweltering heat.
The Grand Mosque swelled as a large number of mourners gathered
Journalists from news agency AFP reported that the Grand Mosallah complex and surrounding streets were filled with attendees on Sunday morning, as long queues formed to enter the prayer rooms.Authorities arranged refreshments and crowd-control measures as temperatures exceeded 35 degrees Celsius, while mourners offered funeral prayers for Khamenei and his family members killed in the February 28 airstrike, which also marked the beginning of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.During the ceremony, Khamenei’s coffin, draped in the Iranian flag and wearing his black turban, was placed alongside the coffins of several relatives, including his newborn granddaughter.
Senior clerics and leaders led the funeral prayers
Prayers at Tehran’s Grand Mosallah complex were led by prominent Shia cleric Jafar Sobhani, a 97-year-old seminary scholar from Qom.State television footage showed senior Iranian leaders, including President Massoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, attending the ceremony along with other top officials.Khamenei’s sons Massoud, Mustafa and Messam were also in attendance, while his successor Mojtaba Khamenei was notably absent, having remained out of public view since the February attack, AFP reported.
Emotional scenes, chants and political overtones
There were large numbers of people in attendance as well as emotional scenes and strong political messages, with mourners gathering in and around the venue and raising slogans.Some attending the funeral chanted “Death to America!” Including raised slogans. and “Death to Israel!” The proceedings highlighted long-standing tensions between Iran and the West.Addressing the crowd, a poet also made inflammatory remarks about US President Donald Trump, asking, “Why is the worst man in the world still alive?” , to which the bereaved reacted strongly.
A procession was planned as the celebrations continued.
Sunday was declared a public holiday across Iran, with officials expecting a further increase in turnout as Khamenei’s body is to be taken to a series of processions in Tehran and later other cities in the coming days.Authorities have warned of extreme heat conditions and crowd safety risks due to the surge in crowds, while maintaining tight security measures in and around the capital.The funeral, which comes after weeks of regional conflict and political uncertainty, is being closely watched as a measure of public support for Iran’s leadership at a sensitive geopolitical moment.