Trump 'Shocked' by Massive Turnout at Khamenei's Funeral

US President Donald Trump has said he was “shocked” by the vast number of people attending the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He admitted he thought the late leader of the Islamic revolution was deeply unpopular. “I was surprised. I thought people hated him,” Trump told Axios media, before adding, “Maybe those were fake tears,” in reference to mourners seen weeping during the ceremony. Trump also claimed that Iran is very keen to continue negotiations. “They are begging to make a deal,” he said. He added that both sides agreed to postpone talks until after Khamenei’s funeral procession was complete. Trump stated, “They were all there. One shot [and we could have taken them all out], but we are not going to do that because then we would have no one to negotiate with.” He added that no party would launch an attack during the funeral procession. The funeral procession for Khamenei drew massive crowds across Tehran, the Iranian capital. Iran’s Ministry of Health, quoted by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, estimated that around 15 million people may have participated in the funeral procession. Temporary hospitals were set up near the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque, where the coffin of Khamenei and several of his family members were laid to rest. Huge crowds of mourners dressed in black chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” Some mourners held signs calling for the assassination of Trump. Others shouted, “Revenge! Revenge!” while Iranian officials vowed to “seek justice” for the US-Israeli airstrike that killed Khamenei in February.