Thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran on Monday as the multi-day funeral procession for Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, continued. Photos and videos from the Iranian capital showed large crowds lining the streets to pay their respects.
Khamenei was killed in joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran on February 28, at the start of the conflict between Iran and Israel.
The funeral ceremonies began on Saturday. Iranian officials say Khamenei’s body will be taken to the major Shiite religious centers of Qom in Iran and Najaf and Karbala in Iraq before being buried on Thursday in the northeastern city of Mashhad, home to Iran’s holiest Shiite shrine.
Footage from the procession showed Khamenei’s coffin draped in the Iranian flag and topped with his black turban. It was placed on a large black platform designed to resemble the Kaaba in Mecca, alongside four other coffins carrying members of his family who were also killed.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump commented on the funeral during a speech at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on Friday. Trump said the United States had “knocked the hell out of Iran” and claimed Tehran was “dying to settle.” He also said Washington had “gave [Iran] a week off for a funeral, because we’re nice,” referring to the pause before the funeral ceremonies began.
