TEHRAN — Tens of thousands of mourners thronged Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla despite hot weather, marking the beginning of an extraordinary farewell for Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
The sprawling prayer complex became the focal point of national mourning as crowds gathered to pay their final respects, with many chanting slogans condemning the US, and Israel.
A funeral prayer was held for martyr Zahra Mohammadi, the granddaughter of Iran's martyred Leader, Ali Khamenei. pic.twitter.com/pXq8w6gq6D
— Yasir Baig ⚡ (@iamyasirbaig) July 5, 2026
The farewell ceremonies, which started early Saturday, continued through Sunday and drew one of the largest public gatherings in recent years. Funeral prayers were led by Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani before a sea of mourners in a ceremony conducted in three stages.
The first prayer was dedicated to Ayatollah Khamenei. The second honored Seyyedeh Boshra Hosseini Khamenei, Mesbah al-Hoda Baqeri, and Zahra Haddad Adel, while the final prayer was offered for Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani, the Leader’s granddaughter.
Khamenei was assasinated in U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran in February this year. The circumstances surrounding his death have intensified emotions across the country, with mourners expressing both grief and anger during the ceremonies.
The funeral procession is set to continue with a carefully planned multi-city schedule. Tehran will host the main public procession on Monday, followed by ceremonies in the holy city of Qom on Tuesday. On Wednesday, special farewell gatherings are expected in the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala before the final burial rites take place in Mashhad on Thursday.
Khamenei will be laid to rest at the Imam Reza Shrine, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, bringing to a close several days of nationwide mourning.
Ahead of the public funeral ceremonies, Tehran welcomed heads of state, senior government officials, foreign dignitaries, and religious leaders from across the world on Friday, who gathered to pay tribute to the late Iranian leader, underscoring the international attention surrounding the funeral.
Millions expected in Tehran as Iran officially starts public funeral for Ali Khamenei
