Hundreds of thousands gathered in Tehran for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral as Iran’s leadership projected unity while new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remained absent from public view.
Iran’s political and military elite emerged in public on Sunday as hundreds of thousands of mourners packed Tehran for funeral prayers honoring slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to the Associated Press, Khamenei’s sons Masoud, Meysam and Mostafa attended the ceremony alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and senior Revolutionary Guard officials.
Notably absent was Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who reportedly remains in hiding after being wounded in the same airstrike that killed his father and amid continuing security threats.
The funeral, part of a dayslong national mourning period, drew emotional crowds, with many chanting slogans against the United States and Israel. The ceremonies come as tensions remain high despite ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict and reopening negotiations.
AP reported that Khamenei’s burial ceremonies will continue through the week, culminating in his interment in Mashhad, his birthplace.
NEWS NOW:
- Ceasefire in tatters: US launches third round of strikes against Iran over Strait of Hormuz attacks
- White House shuts down meeting between Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office and Iran
- Experts advise pregnant women to cut sugar to protect children’s mental health
- Pentagon releases 40 new UFO files, including pilot’s mystery encounter
