Iran Begins Funeral Procession for Ali Khamenei

The Iranian government began the first stage of the funeral procession for the late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Friday (3/7), as foreign guests and religious figures paid their final respects at the Grand Musalla in Tehran.

The body of the leader, along with his close associates, was brought to the Grand Musalla in Tehran on Friday morning and placed in the mosque’s main hall ahead of a two-day farewell ceremony open to the general public.

Representatives from Islamic centres, community groups, and anti-war and anti-hegemony movements from several European nations, including Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Australia, have arrived in Tehran to attend or cover the funeral proceedings.

The funeral ceremonies will continue on Saturday (4/7) and Sunday (5/7), with Ali Khamenei’s remains lying in state at the Grand Musalla in Tehran, before the next stage of the procession on Monday (6/7).

The subsequent funeral procession is scheduled to take place in the city of Qom, followed by separate processions in Baghdad, Karbala, and Najaf in Iraq, before the final stage of burial in Mashhad on Thursday (9/7).

The body of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, arrived at the Grand Mosalla religious complex in Tehran on Friday (3/7) ahead of the state funeral proceedings.

Iran is preparing to hold the funeral for Ali Khamenei over a period of six days. Meanwhile, talks with the US in Doha have shown positive progress despite remaining at a deadlock.

The presence of US military aircraft and drones in the airspace of the Strait of Hormuz has instead exacerbated tensions. This situation, it was noted, endangers regional security.

It was also emphasised that the demand for retribution following Khamenei’s death must be a message heard on a global level.

The Mayor of Tehran announced that the funeral procession for Ali Khamenei will be held after the first ten days of Muharram in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad.