Thousands of mourners braved extreme heat in the eastern Iranian city of Mashhad on Thursday for the burial of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in an Israeli strike in late February. The procession headed toward the Shrine of Imam Reza, one of Shia Islam's holiest sites, where Khamenei will be interred.
Massive Turnout and Calls for Revenge
Men wore black shirts and women black chadors, many waving red flags symbolizing vengeance. “People here all seek revenge,” said Mohammad Afsharian, a 41-year-old shop owner. “I don’t know what’s the story with diplomacy and what’s the policy to continue diplomacy but all the people are carrying red flags in a sign of seeking revenge.”
Mashhad Governor Hassan Hosseini told state television he “expects 15 million people” to attend the funeral. The burial caps six days of ceremonies that included tributes in Tehran, Qom, and Iraq.
Security and Tensions
A fighter jet escorted the plane carrying Khamenei's coffin to Mashhad amid renewed hostilities with the United States, even after a recent accord to end the Middle East war. Near the mausoleum, a banner depicted US President Donald Trump with a bounty on his head, and another showed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the words: “There will be blood.”
The funeral was delayed from 6am to 2pm local time because ceremonies in Iraq ran late. The rail link between Tehran and Mashhad was closed due to fighting, though road transport was arranged for stranded passengers.
Successor Yet to Appear
Observers are watching for Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not made public appearances and is rumored to have been injured in the same strike that killed his father. The funeral is the final act in a week of mourning that has drawn millions across Iran and Iraq.
