Voice of Urdu - وائس آف اردو

Ayatollah Khamenei Funeral Procession Draws Millions — AI-generated representative image of mourners gathering in Tehran for a large funeral procession.

Editorial Team

Millions of mourners lined the streets of Tehran on Monday morning as the coffin of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei described in the source material as the “martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution” was carried in a major funeral procession toward Azadi Square.

The large turnout, which officials have described as the biggest public gathering in Iran’s modern history, marks the start of a multi-day series of funeral ceremonies in Iran and Iraq that is expected to culminate in Ayatollah Khamenei’s burial later this week in Mashhad, in line with his will. The ceremonies come amid heightened regional tensions following recent hostilities; see Ayatollah Khamenei Issues Stark Warning to Israel and the US.

Key developments

The funeral procession began Monday in Tehran and headed to Azadi Square, drawing millions of mourners from across the country, according to the source material.
The procession also carried flag-draped coffins of several members of Ayatollah Khamenei’s family, who were reported to have been martyred alongside him on February 28, the first day of what the source material calls a recent US-Israeli war of aggression.
Organizers said the procession was expected to last 10 to 12 hours and cover a 10-kilometer route through Damavand Street, Imam Hossein Square, Enqelab Street, Enqelab Square, Azadi Street, Azadi Square, and Shahid Lashgari Highway near Mehrabad airport.

Context and background

Funeral prayers were held on Sunday and led by Grand Ayatollah Ja’afar Sobhani for Ayatollah Khamenei and members of his family named by organizers as among those killed: his son-in-law Dr. Mesbah-ul-Hoda Bagheri-Kani, his daughter-in-law Zahra Haddad-Adel, his granddaughter Zahra Mohammadi-Golpayegani, who was 14 months old, and his daughter Seyyedeh Boshra Hosseini-Khamenei. Related coverage on the broader standoff can be found in Iran's Imminent Retaliation Against Israel: A Tense Standoff.

Details from the procession

On Monday, mourners dressed in black packed Tehran’s streets as the funeral convoy moved through the capital. According to the source material, crowds beat their chests in mourning, waved Iranian flags, carried portraits of Ayatollah Khamenei and chanted slogans calling for revenge and resistance against adversaries.

Current status and next steps

Organizers said funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Khamenei and his family will continue on Tuesday in the holy city of Qom.
Additional farewell and funeral events are scheduled for Wednesday in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala.
The final funeral rites are set for Thursday in Mashhad in northeastern Iran, where Ayatollah Khamenei is to be buried at the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam, in accordance with his will.