The funeral prayers for the assassinated Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, were offered late on Thursday as hundreds of thousands of mourners, braving sweltering heat and calling for revenge, massed in his hometown of Mashhad.
Prayer Led by His Son
According to Press TV, “Ayatollah Seyyed Mostafa Khamenei leads the prayer at the funeral procession of his father, the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, at the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad.” Following the funeral prayers, the late supreme leader was laid to rest at the Shrine of Imam Reza, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam.
Burial With Family Members
Khamenei was buried alongside his infant granddaughter, son-in-law, daughter, and Mojtaba Khamenei’s wife Zahra Haddad Adel, who were all killed in the February 28 strikes. Earlier, Khamenei’s body was carried by truck slowly through the crammed streets of Mashhad in northeastern Iran towards the gilt dome and minarets of the shrine. Thousands of people filled the streets of the eastern city. Footage posted by IRNA showed the procession en route to the shrine, where the assassinated leader was buried.
Mourners Demand Revenge
Men wore black shirts while women were clad in black chadors, many waving the red flags that symbolise vengeance, AFP correspondents said. “People here all seek revenge,” said Mohammad Afsharian, 41, a 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,” he said.
