TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A funeral for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began on Saturday, attended by hundreds of thousands of mourners in Tehran. Khamenei, who was killed at age 86 in an airstrike on February 28 during the Iran war, was honored with a flag-draped coffin as attendees expressed their sorrow and called for revenge against Israel and the United States.
The funeral is seen as significant for Iran's theocracy and its new supreme leader, his son Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. As Iran seeks to negotiate a permanent end to the war and maintain its influence over the Strait of Hormuz, the ceremony was delayed due to ongoing conflict.
During the event, Iran’s top negotiator issued warnings to France and the U.K. regarding their comments about potential joint patrols in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil and natural gas transport.
Mourners displayed deep emotion, with some chanting for revenge and carrying banners. An outdoor stage was set up resembling the one where Khamenei delivered speeches, and security was tight with police present.
The funeral coincided with the U.S. marking its 250th anniversary, and some attendees chanted anti-American slogans. U.S. President Donald Trump made remarks at the same time, indirectly referencing the situation in Iran.
Khamenei’s body will be transported to various cities in Iran and Iraq, with the mourning period expected to conclude on Thursday when he will be buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace. Other cities in Iran are also holding mourning ceremonies, and a prayer for the deceased is scheduled for Sunday.