TEHRAN—Mourners flooded streets across Iran’s capital on Monday for the funeral procession of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, drawing large crowds amid heightened security and official calls for national unity following his death in a February airstrike during the Israel–U.S. conflict, state media and international reporters said.
The procession, which began after Khamenei’s body lay in state at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex over the weekend, moved through central Tehran toward major public squares as participants dressed in black chanted slogans of mourning and political defiance, including calls for retaliation against the United States and Israel, according to state broadcaster IRIB and eyewitness accounts cited by multiple international news agencies.
State media showed the flag-draped coffin of the 86-year-old cleric carried on a vehicle through dense crowds, with uniformed members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps deployed along the route as part of extensive security measures. Authorities closed major roads and restricted movement in parts of the capital to manage the turnout, which officials described as one of the largest public gatherings in recent years.
Participants waved Iranian flags and religious banners while chanting slogans including “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” reflecting longstanding tensions with Washington and Jerusalem that intensified after the February strike that killed Khamenei and members of his family, according to reports from international media organizations.
Iranian officials framed the ceremony as a demonstration of national unity and resilience. President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking at earlier memorial events, said the public mourning reflected the country’s cohesion in the face of external pressure, according to state media. Authorities have also emphasized orderly conduct during the multi-day funeral sequence, which includes planned processions through additional cities before burial arrangements in eastern Iran.
The funeral comes amid continuing regional tensions following the war that erupted after the February 28 airstrikes attributed by Iranian authorities to Israel and the United States. Israeli officials have reiterated warnings that any Iranian leadership threatening Israel’s existence would face retaliation, while Iranian officials have pledged a “crushing” response to further attacks, according to official statements reported by international outlets.
Officials have not announced any disruption to the remaining funeral itinerary, which is expected to continue with further ceremonies outside Tehran in the coming days.
