20 Million Mourners Expected for Khamenei’s Funeral After Airstrike
Iran is preparing for a massive six-day funeral for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28, with officials expecting up to 20 million mourners to attend.
The funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader killed on the first day of the US-Iran war, is set to begin on Saturday, July 4, after being delayed at the height of the conflict [186348][187669]. Officials say the event will be the largest gathering in Tehran’s history and are using the ceremony as a demonstration of strength both at home and abroad [187669].
Giant portraits of Khamenei now hang from Tehran’s Grand Mosalla as workers rush to prepare for the grand funeral [186112]. The 86-year-old religious leader was killed in US-Israeli air strikes on his compound in central Tehran on February 28, the first day of the Middle East war [186112][187293]. He was a spiritual figure for many Shia Muslims worldwide [186112].
The ceremonies are expected to draw between 15 and 20 million mourners [186348][187293]. The regime is showcasing a growing list of foreign dignitaries attending the funeral, framing it as a show of strength for a leadership that has rebounded since Khamenei’s death [186958]. The event will take place as Iran and the United States observe a fragile ceasefire after signing a preliminary deal to halt the fighting [186112]. This week in Doha, both sides are meeting again indirectly for talks as the funeral proceedings begin [186958].