Millions of Iranians gathered in the holy city of Mashhad to bid a final farewell to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, whose burial marked the end of days of nationwide mourning following his death during the recent conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
Crowds filled the streets leading to the Imam Reza shrine, carrying Iranian flags and portraits of Khamenei while chanting religious slogans. The funeral ceremonies, which began in Tehran before moving through other cities and Iraq’s holy sites, drew senior Iranian officials, military commanders, clerics and foreign delegations from dozens of countries. The events were presented by Iranian authorities as a demonstration of national unity and defiance despite months of conflict and international pressure.
The final burial took place late on Thursday (July 9) in the Dar al-Dhikr prayer hall at the Imam Reza shrine. Before the burial, Khamenei’s coffin was carried around the shrine’s central tomb as part of the funeral rites, with large crowds gathering to pay their last respects.
Khamenei, who led Iran for nearly 37 years, was killed during the opening phase of the conflict that erupted in February.
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