Iran began a procession Monday through its capital, Tehran, for the funeral of the late Supreme Leader . Khamenei’s flag-draped coffin and those of his family killed in the US-Israeli airstrike on February 28 were carried on board a truck along the designated route in the Iranian capital.
After lying in state for two days at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex, the body of Khamenei began its journey through the capital accompanied by massive crowds of mourners.
Funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Authorities have shut down streets, airspace and daily life for the mourning, which began Saturday and will end Thursday as the 86-year-old Khamenei is buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.
The coffins will be taken through the streets of Tehran on their way to Mehrabad International Airport over a 12-hour journey, said Revolutionary Guard Gen. Hasan Hasanzsdeh, who is overseeing the procession.
Monday’s procession will be followed by similar events in the clerical hub of Qom on Tuesday and in Iraq’s holy cities of Najaf and on Wednesday, culminating in Khamenei’s burial in his hometown of in northeastern Iran on Thursday.
Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran for 36 years, was killed on the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran. While several members of his family were also killed in the same strike, one of his surviving sons, Mojtaba Khamenei, has since taken the position held by his father for more than three decades.
Though the funeral prayers started three days ago, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since the February 28 air strikes, has not attended them yet, while three of Ali Khamenei’s other sons were seen during the procession on Sunday.
The US is meanwhile pressing ahead with negotiations with Iran aimed at fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz, rolling back its disputed nuclear program and reaching a permanent end to the war. Talks appear to be on hold until after the burial.
While there is no clarity on the next round of talks between the US and Iran, the maritime trade between Iran and Qatar has resumed after a roughly five-month suspension. Shipping between Iran’s Dayyer port and Qatar’s Al Ruwais port had resumed following coordination between the Iranian embassy in Doha and Qatari authorities.
US-Iran LIVE Updates: Fleet of 10 Japan-related ships exit Hormuz
A fleet of 10 Japan-related vessels are exiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, shipping data on LSEG showed.
These included six very large crude carriers loaded with 12 million barrels of Middle Eastern crude, two chemical tankers, a vehicle carrier, and a container ship, the data showed.
US-Iran LIVE Updates: Iranians raise cry of ‘resistance and revenge’ at Khamenei’s funeral procession
Mourners attending the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei chanted “resistance against enemies” and “revenge for the blood” of the late Supreme Leader, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr said in a post on X.
“Keep your eyes on Iran these days. This is the same Iran that you thought you could bring to its knees in just a few days,” he added.
After lying in state for two days at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex, the body of Khamenei began its journey through the capital accompanied by massive crowds of mourners, state broadcaster IRIB reported.
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