Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran for a multi-day funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in February during the start of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
Crowds filled streets surrounding the procession route on Saturday, waving Iranian flags and carrying portraits of Khamenei as senior political, military, and religious leaders joined the funeral rites.
Many cried at the sight of Khamenei’s coffin alongside his family members who were also killed in the airstrike. Several mourners vowed revenge on the U.S. and Israel.
“Our word is one! Revenge! Revenge!” some of them chanted, with crowds of men rhythmically beating their chests in mourning, which is a common practice at Shiite funerals.”Imam Khamenei was our heart, our father, our everything,” mourner Masoumeh Mohammadi said. “We will not rest until we avenge his death.
State media described the gathering as one of the largest public ceremonies in recent years, with mourners paying tribute to Khamenei’s decades-long leadership of the Islamic Republic.
The funeral comes after a conflict that sharply escalated tensions across the Middle East and left key military and political figures dead. Khamenei’s death marked a historic turning point for Iran, where he served as supreme leader for decades and held ultimate authority over the country’s political, military and religious affairs.
Security was heightened throughout Tehran as authorities deployed large numbers of police and military personnel around the capital, with the government declaring a period of national mourning as ceremonies continued across Iran.
During the funeral, President Donald Trump and the U.S. celebrated the Fourth of July, as well as America’s 250th birthday.
In a speech at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on Friday night, Trump said the U.S. gave Iran “a week off for a funeral because we’re nice,” while also saying Iran remains eager to reach a peace deal.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.