The day had barely begun today in Tehran when a crowd of faithful called for revenge before the coffin of Ali Khamenei, displayed for a final public tribute to the figure of the Islamic Republic. Iranian state television announced around 6:00 AM local time the start of the national funeral ceremonies for the former supreme leader, who led Iran for nearly 37 years before dying as a result of Israeli-American attacks on February 28 of this year, in a vast complex that includes a mosque.
We are not here for a funeral, but for revenge, shouted a reciter of funeral elegies before weeping worshippers. Among the crowd, many waved red flags with the inscription “Martyr” and yellow flags of the Lebanese Hezbollah, a movement backed by Tehran.
Ali Khamenei died on February 28 at the age of 86, following the bombardment of his residence in Tehran by Israeli-American strikes that escalated tensions in the Middle East. Red banners called for revenge alongside the hashtag “#KillTrump,” at a time when the United States also marks its 250th anniversary of independence today.
Among those present were numerous conservative-looking faithful, including women in chadors, a traditional female garment covering the entire body except the face, and men dressed in black, with some arriving accompanied by their children. I never had the chance to see the supreme leader up close and I regret that, today I came to say a final goodbye to him, declared 43-year-old food industry worker Javad Akbari to AFP.
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Two rows of Iranian flags flanked Khamenei’s coffin, which was displayed under the dome of the imposing Mosalla designed to host prayers. The walls of the venue were covered with large portraits of Khamenei at different stages of his life, including images of him accompanying soldiers on the front line during the devastating Iran-Iraq war between 1980 and 1988.
We promised the supreme leader that we would stay with him until the end, all these people are here for him because he sacrificed himself for us, said Reza, a 37-year-old university professor. Religious and patriotic chants increased the emotional weight of the ceremony, while several faithful prayed kneeling on the floor.
As dictated by Shia Islam tradition, many beat their chests as a sign of mourning. Some chanted slogans such as “Death to America, death to Israel!”, a slogan frequently heard at official gatherings. Periodically, water was sprayed over the crowd at a time when temperatures are expected to exceed 35 degrees Celsius.
Many faithful carried portraits of Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father in the position of supreme leader. Since being appointed in March, the new ruler has not yet appeared in public and has only spoken through statements attributed to him.
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These public ceremonies take place against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire with the United States and six months after significant protests against the high cost of living and the regime.
The center of Tehran presents a heavy security presence today with concrete blocks and police vehicles blocking all access streets to the venue within a radius of about two kilometers. Iranian authorities state they expect between 15 and 20 million participants in Tehran alone for this national tribute, which will take place over six days and will include a passage through Iraq.
On Monday, the remains of Ali Khamenei will travel through the streets of Tehran for a final tribute before the funeral procession heads the following day to the holy city of Qom, with the former leader set to be buried on Thursday in the holy city of Mashhad in northeastern Iran, where he was born.
