TEHRAN: Funeral prayers were offered on Sunday for Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, as the country entered the third day of nationwide mourning ceremonies attended by huge crowds in Tehran.
The funeral prayers were conducted in three stages. The first was dedicated to Ayatollah Khamenei, while the second was offered for his daughter Seyyedeh Boshra Hosseini Khamenei, Mesbah al-Hoda Baqeri, and Zahra Haddad Adel. The final prayer was held for Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani, the late leader’s granddaughter.
Public mourning ceremonies, which began at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla, have attracted hundreds of thousands of mourners from across Iran. Authorities have declared Sunday a nationwide public holiday, with Khamenei’s body lying in state before a large funeral procession through Tehran on Monday.
Further funeral processions are scheduled in the holy city of Qom on Tuesday before the body is taken to Mashhad, where he will be buried on Thursday at the shrine of Imam Reza.
Crowds dressed in black filled the capital, waving red flags associated with sacrifice and chanting slogans in support of the Islamic Republic. Many mourners described Khamenei as a unifying national figure and paid tribute to his decades-long leadership.
Officials expect the funeral ceremonies to draw millions of participants, making them among the largest public gatherings in Iran’s recent history.
The funeral comes after weeks of conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel, which ended with a ceasefire. Iranian leaders have portrayed the large turnout as a demonstration of national unity despite recent regional tensions.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said the overwhelming public participation reflected the late leader’s standing among Iranians, while reaffirming that the country would continue to resist external pressure.
Foreign delegations and representatives from several regional groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, also attended the ceremonies and met with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Following Monday’s procession in Tehran, the coffin will travel to Qom before continuing to Mashhad, where Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be laid to rest on Thursday.
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