TEHRAN, Iran – Tens of thousands of mourners filled the streets of Tehran on Monday as Iran held the largest public funeral procession yet for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, underscoring the ruling clerical establishment’s continued ability to mobilize massive crowds following months of regional conflict.
State television broadcast aerial footage showing densely packed crowds lining major boulevards as a truck carrying the flag-draped coffins of Khamenei and four of his family members slowly made its way through the Iranian capital. Fire hoses sprayed water over mourners to help them cope with the summer heat as the procession advanced.
Many participants carried Iranian flags, portraits of Khamenei, and banners condemning the United States and Israel, which Iran blames for the February 28 airstrikes that killed the longtime leader. Some demonstrators burned U.S. and British flags and chanted calls for revenge, while one prominent banner read, “The U.S. killed our father. We won’t let you go.”
The funeral procession marked the culmination of several days of state mourning that began after Khamenei’s body lay in state at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex. The ceremonies are expected to continue through several religious cities in Iran and Iraq before Khamenei is buried in his hometown of Mashhad, one of Shiite Islam’s holiest cities.
Notably absent from Monday’s procession was Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has remained out of public view since succeeding his father. Reuters reported that he was reportedly injured in the same airstrike that killed the elder Khamenei, while Iranian authorities have cited security concerns surrounding public appearances.
The scale of the funeral has drawn comparisons to the 1989 funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic. Iranian authorities have sought to project national unity and resilience through the week-long ceremonies, describing them as one of the largest public gatherings in the country’s modern history. Officials also implemented extensive security measures to prevent a repeat of the deadly crowd surge that marred Khomeini’s funeral, which left several people dead and thousands injured.
The funeral comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East following the war that erupted earlier this year between Iran, Israel and the United States. Although a preliminary peace agreement has since taken effect, regional uncertainty remains as diplomatic efforts continue over Iran’s nuclear program, regional security, and the future balance of power in the Middle East.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
