Millions of Iranians Throng Ali Khamenei's Funeral Amid Trump's Threats

Millions of Iranians thronged the streets of Tehran on Saturday (5/7) to pay their final respects to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The grand state funeral ceremony marks the end of Khamenei’s decades-long dominance over Iran before he was killed in a conflict with the United States and Israel at the end of February. Tens of thousands began arriving at dawn at the Grand Mosalla Mosque in the capital to commence a six-day series of public ceremonies. Khamenei’s body is scheduled to be taken to various cities across the country, with millions expected to participate in the procession. The coffin of Ayatollah Khamenei, placed in a glass case and draped with the Iranian flag, was laid on a stage alongside the coffins of several family members also killed in the attack, including his daughter and two grandchildren. Amid the mourning, the crowd chanted anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans and carried banners demanding revenge. This moment is a crucial point for Iran, which is beset by successive crises, from harshly suppressed anti-government protests to months of war with the US and Israel. Israeli air strikes on the first day of the conflict were reportedly the cause of death for Khamenei and other senior Iranian leaders. Amid the funeral procession, US President Donald Trump issued a controversial statement. Trump claimed he had the ability to wipe out the entire remaining Iranian leadership with a single strike as they gathered at the funeral ceremony. However, Trump stated he would not do so because he wanted to retain a party to negotiate with. “They are all there. One shot and we could take them all out, but we are not going to do that because we would have no one left to negotiate with,” Trump told Axios. He also added that both sides had agreed to halt attacks for a week until the funeral series concluded. Following Khamenei’s death, his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was appointed as the new Supreme Leader. However, Mojtaba has yet to appear in public, and it is not yet confirmed whether he will attend his father’s funeral ceremonies. Although conservative supporters show deep loyalty, many Iranians view the lavish funeral with cynicism. During his 37-year rule, Khamenei was criticised for suppressing dissent and allowing economic mismanagement and rampant corruption. On the other hand, hard-line religious groups have also begun to voice criticism, viewing the ceasefire with the United States as a form of capitulation. The funeral could only be held four months after Khamenei’s death, following a ceasefire agreement signed last month. Analysts assess that Iranian authorities were previously hesitant to organise a large event involving senior officials due to the high risk of air strikes from adversaries.