Iran on Monday staged the centerpiece of its week-long farewell to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with hundreds of thousands of mourners flooding the streets of Tehran.
The funeral procession, which began from Tehran's Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, saw Khamenei's flag-draped coffin carried atop a ceremonial vehicle through the capital before continuing toward other cities, including Qom, Najaf, Karbala and finally Mashhad, where he is scheduled to be buried on Thursday at the Imam Reza shrine.
Iranian authorities have closed major roads and suspended normal activities in parts of the capital as millions are expected to participate in the seven-day mourning period, according to Iranian state media.
The funeral comes more than four months after Khamenei was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike during the Iran war. Tehran has portrayed the ceremonies as both a religious farewell and a demonstration of the Islamic Republic's resilience after the conflict that claimed thousands of lives and severely damaged military and civilian infrastructure.
State television showed seas of black-clad mourners waving Iranian flags, red Shiite "vengeance" banners and portraits of the late supreme leader while chanting slogans against Israel and the United States.
Many described Khamenei as a martyr and vowed that Iran would continue his legacy of resistance.
The ceremonies, however, have also highlighted the uncertainty surrounding Iran's post-Khamenei leadership.
Three of Khamenei's sons — Mostafa, Masoud and Meysam — appeared alongside senior government officials, Revolutionary Guard commanders and clerics during the funeral.
Missing, however, was Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's designated successor, whose absence has fueled speculation about his health after reports that he suffered serious injuries during the strike that killed his father.
Iranian authorities have offered no official explanation for why he has not appeared in public. Reuters reported that many mourners expressed disappointment over his absence.
International media have noted that the funeral is designed to project stability despite those lingering questions. According to The New York Times, the ceremonies are intended to reinforce the image of an enduring Islamic Republic after one of the most consequential moments in its modern history.
CNN, reporting from Tehran, described the massive turnout as a show of state strength while noting that attention remains fixed on the succession process.
TIME magazine observed that the elaborate funeral seeks to demonstrate continuity, but the absence of Iran's new leader has become one of the defining stories surrounding the event.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that the funeral is unfolding alongside renewed regional tensions, with Israeli strikes in Lebanon continuing even as Iran observes national mourning.
Diplomatic efforts over Iran's nuclear program and regional security have largely paused during the mourning period. U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged that discussions with Tehran would resume only after the funeral concludes, according to multiple media reports.
---