Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was buried on Friday at the country’s holiest Shia shrine. The burial came more than four months after a US-Israeli strike killed him in central Tehran. Earlier, funeral processions took place across several cities in Iran and Iraq.
Private Burial Follows Week of Mourning
According to Iranian state media, Khamenei was laid to rest in his birthplace of Mashhad. He was buried at the Shrine of Imam Reza, one of Shia Islam’s most sacred sites.
The burial ceremony remained private. However, it followed a week of public mourning that attracted massive crowds. Iranian estimates claimed more than 15 million people attended funeral events across the two countries.
Khamenei’s funeral was originally scheduled for March. Nevertheless, authorities postponed the ceremony after war erupted following the February 28 attack.
Massive Crowds Attend Funeral Processions
Public funeral proceedings began last Saturday at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex. Tens of thousands gathered as Khamenei’s coffin was placed on public display.
Delegations from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and the Houthis also attended the ceremony. Meanwhile, even larger crowds returned to the mosque the following day.
On Monday, millions lined Tehran’s streets as the coffin travelled nearly 10 kilometres to Azadi Square. The plaza has hosted many of the Islamic Republic’s largest public gatherings since the 1979 Revolution.
Notably, Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, did not appear during the funeral events. He has remained out of public view since the February strike that killed his father. His absence drew attention throughout the week-long ceremonies.
The burial marked the conclusion of nationwide mourning while Iran continues facing heightened regional tensions following the conflict that erupted earlier this year.
