A huge crowd of Iranians gathered at a mosque in central Tehran to mourn Ayatollah Khamenei, who was killed during the opening salvos of the US-Iran war, at the end of February.
The mood among the mourners was angry and defiant. Some held signs calling for the assassination of president Trump.
“Our word is one. Revenge! Revenge!” the crowd shouted.
Khamenei’s body was displayed in a casket draped with the Iranian flag. A black turban was placed on top—a symbol of his direct descent from the Prophet Mohammad.
His casket was accompanied by those of his daughter, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, who were also killed in the same airstrike.
Khamenei’s son, the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, was not present at the gathering.
The son was also badly wounded in the strike that killed his father and relations. He has not been seen in public since, and is believed to be seriously “disfigured.”
Iranian authorities say up to 15 million people could take place in the memorial ceremonies for the Ayatollah, which have been timed to coincide with the Fourth of July and will take place over multiple days.
President Donald Trump said the US gave Iran “the week off” to mourn Khamenei, as negotiations for lasting peace continue.
“We knocked the hell out of Iran and they’re dying to settle,” Trump said during a speech at Mount Rushmore Friday night.
“We gave them a week off for a funeral, isn’t that nice.”
