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Iran Concludes Funeral for Khamenei at Mashhad Holy Shrine
Iran on Thursday buried its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, concluding a week of mass funeral processions and state rallies following his death in a US airstrike.
The 85-year-old leader was killed on February 28 during a joint US-Israeli barrage on the opening day of the conflict, triggering a months-long war that has caused thousands of casualties and severe disruptions to global energy supplies.
Final Rituals and Massive Turnout
The funeral cortege moved slowly through Mashhad’s crowded streets toward the golden dome of the country’s holiest shrine. Black-clad mourners waving Iranian flags and revolutionary slogans surrounded the truck carrying the coffin, which eventually became gridlocked in the massive crowd.
Authorities deployed a helicopter to lift the coffin over the thick crowds for the final journey, placing it on a carpet where senior clerics gathered to pray. In the sweltering July heat, officials used hoses to spray water over the gathered crowds.
Succession Crisis and Son’s Condition
Uncertainty surrounds Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was proclaimed supreme leader by a clerical assembly in early March, a week after his father’s death.
The younger Khamenei has remained entirely hidden from public view since the February 28 strike, which left him with debilitating injuries, a disfigured face, and badly wounded limbs. While he has issued written statements, no photographs, video footage, or voice recordings have been released.
Senior Tehran sources indicated he remains unfit for public appearances, with state security services actively limiting his exposure to mitigate the risk of further US attacks.
Calls for Revenge
During the final rituals, the massive crowd chanted slogans demanding retribution against President Donald Trump for ordering the strike. Mourners, including women holding placards, chanted “Death to America” and explicitly threatened the US president.
Internal Challenges
Iranian authorities have framed the large funeral turnout as a demonstration of public support for the theocratic state, nearly fifty years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. However, the country continues to face severe internal challenges following years of repeated public protests against poverty and state repression.
