Chants of 'Death to America' Echo at Khamenei's Funeral

The funeral ceremony for Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, officially began in the capital Tehran on Saturday morning local time. The event was attended by thousands and intended as a demonstration of strength to the enemies of the Islamic Republic. Thousands of mourners carrying red banners—a symbol of revenge—gathered in the vast courtyard of the Grand Mosalla religious complex in Tehran, awaiting the arrival of Khamenei’s coffin. Chants of ‘Death to America’ and ‘Revenge, revenge’ echoed through the venue. Iranian authorities stated they expect between 15 and 20 million people to pay their final respects to Khamenei in Tehran over the next three days. In total, the funeral procession will last six days. Mourners were seen walking for kilometres to reach the site, with hundreds having waited since Friday night outside the Grand Mosalla. ‘We want to bid a final farewell to our leader, which is why waiting like this is neither painful nor difficult for us,’ said Iranian citizen Somayye Hamedi. Significant security measures have been implemented, with roads blocked and airspace expected to be closed. This is the largest public event in Iran since the funeral of Khamenei’s predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989. Khamenei’s coffin will lie in state until Monday, when the procession will pass through the streets of Tehran. On Tuesday, the coffin will be moved to the religious centre of Qom, before being transferred on Wednesday to holy cities for Shia Muslims in neighbouring Iraq, and then proceeding to burial on Thursday in Khamenei’s hometown of Mashhad, in northeastern Iran. International guests paying their final respects on Friday included Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has acted as a mediator between Iran and the United States. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now serving as deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, attended representing President Vladimir Putin. Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, both backed by Tehran, also sent envoys, as did the Taliban government in Afghanistan.