Final Funeral Ceremony Draws Huge Crowds
Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was laid to rest in his hometown of Mashhad on Thursday.
Thousands of mourners gathered despite extreme heat to attend the final stage of a six-day funeral procession.
The burial took place at the shrine of Imam Reza, one of Iran’s most sacred religious sites.
Khamenei had reportedly chosen the shrine as his burial place in his will.
Mourners dressed in black lined the route as his coffin arrived in the eastern city.
Many carried red flags, which are often used in Shia tradition to symbolize calls for revenge.
Anger Grows After Khamenei’s Killing
Khamenei was killed in late February during the first day of the US-Israeli war against Iran.
His death ended more than three decades of rule and triggered a major political and security crisis in the region.
Chants against the United States and Israel echoed through the funeral route.
Many mourners rejected any compromise with the West.
Some attendees said revenge was the only way to respond to Khamenei’s killing.
The public anger also reflected pressure from Iranian hardliners, who have criticized President Masoud Pezeshkian’s government for pursuing talks with Washington.
The funeral became both a religious ceremony and a political show of defiance.
Security Tightened as Regional Tensions Rise
State media reported that a helicopter was expected to carry Khamenei’s body across the final stretch because the main avenue was packed with people.
A fighter jet escorted the plane carrying his coffin to Mashhad.
Local media said fighter jets also flew over the funeral site for security reasons.
Fire trucks sprayed water over the crowd as temperatures neared 40 degrees Celsius.
The funeral came as new hostilities broke out with the United States, despite a recent agreement aimed at ending months of fighting.
The conflict also disrupted transport links.
Iranian authorities said the rail connection between Tehran and Mashhad was closed after renewed fighting. Road transport was arranged for stranded passengers.
Observers are also watching for signs of Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son and successor.
He has not yet made a public appearance and was reportedly injured in the same strike that killed his father.
Khamenei was buried alongside several family members killed in the February 28 strikes.
His burial marks the end of a long national mourning period, but tensions across the region remain high.
