Iranians Brave Scorching Heat to Attend Khamenei's Funeral Procession

Iran has continued the funeral procession for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with many citizens turning out to pay their last respects despite the blistering heat. Khamenei was killed at the age of 86 along with several family members in a missile strike by the United States and Israel on 28 February, which hit his residential and office complex in central Tehran. The funeral procession for the figurehead of the Islamic Republic began on Saturday morning local time and has now entered its second day. Mourners flocked to view his body at the Grand Mosalla Hall in Tehran, undeterred by temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius. Organisers installed water misting devices inside the hall, while volunteers distributed cold drinks to the mourners. The funeral procession is scheduled to last six days, with ceremonies set to continue in Iraq before the burial. Thousands of mourners carrying red banners, a symbol associated with calls for vengeance, gathered in the courtyard of the Grand Mosalla in the Iranian capital. Hundreds assembled outside the venue, some weeping, while others sat patiently on the pavements. The walls of the Grand Mosalla complex were covered with large portraits of Khamenei, black flags signifying mourning, and red flags representing martyrdom and retribution. A massive security operation was deployed around the site, with armed personnel on high alert. Strict security checks were required to approach the funeral location, and no vehicles were permitted within a radius of more than one kilometre.